The British media “The Guardian” collected the testimonies of nine women who were victims of sexual harassment while they traveled alone the route to Santiago de Compostela. Situations which sometimes made them fear for their lives.
To take a spiritual journey or enjoy a “digital detox” in nature, many women set out each year on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela. A solo adventure which is not without risk, as recalled by “The Guardian”, which explains in a long investigation that sexual assaults are “endemic” on the road which crosses Spain, Portugal and France.
The English media collected the testimony of nine women who set off from Saint-Jacques in the last five years and their observation is clear: all experienced situations of “terrifying” sexual harassment during their hike, particularly in “almost deserted” portions located in rural areas. The women speak of men who “masturbated” or “touched themselves” near the path, of individuals who chased them, of “obscene” comments or even “unwanted touching” and “forced kisses.” “.
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It was terrifying. I felt completely alone.
Rosie, 25, with the “Guardian”
A victim also claims that a man driving a van stopped alongside her while she was walking and urged her to get in. Several say they “feared for their lives” and six of them decided to file a complaint. In only one case was the perpetrator found and prosecuted.
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“Sexual harassment is endemic”
Contacted by “The Guardian”, Lorena Gaibor, founder of Camigas, an online forum that has connected women pilgrims since 2015, confirmed that “sexual harassment is endemic on the Camino. This seems very common. Every year, we receive reports from women who experience the same things,” she laments.
For its part, the Spanish government has set up, since 2016, 1,600 information points where walkers can find emergency numbers. On the Spanish section there is also an application, AlertCops, which allows pilgrims to contact the police directly. Portuguese police said they had received five reports from pilgrims since 2023, all linked to incidents of exhibitionism. None of the suspects have been identified and no arrests have been made.
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Three major news items have hit the Way of Saint-Jacques in recent years. In 2015, American hiker Denise Thiem was reported missing during her pilgrimage before being found dead on the path, the victim of a homicide. In 2019, Portuguese police arrested a 78-year-old man accused of kidnapping and attempting to rape a German pilgrim. And on December 12, 2023, Spanish police arrested a 48-year-old man accused of having kidnapped a 24-year-old German pilgrim in her home and sexually assaulting her.
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