Safety and Security on The Camino

[Penny Kingma]

I'm truly not trying to Scare Anyone !
I've planned a multi 3 month Camino experience beginning April 18th with the Portuguese Central.
For this reason I'm following several Facebook Pages. As well as here as I did on my First Camino the Francis in 2016. Then and now as a Women..alone.
It's Very important that ALL situations be reported and shared.
This is what will help to keep us safe while walking .
Awareness is key .
So I apologize but I'm sharing this that occured this morning on the Portuguese Camino. I've blocked her name to protect her. She has reported the incident to authorities

 

[henrythedog]

I'm truly not trying to Scare Anyone !
I've planned a multi 3 month Camino experience beginning April 18th with the Portuguese Central.
For this reason I'm following several Facebook Pages. As well as here as I did on my First Camino the Francis in 2016. Then and now as a Women..alone.
It's Very important that ALL situations be reported and shared.
This is what will help to keep us safe while walking .
Awareness is key .
So I apologize but I'm sharing this that occured this morning on the Portuguese Camino. I've blocked her name to protect her. She has reported the incident to authorities

OK, looks like the wooded section just before you get to ‘Fever Bridge’ where Saint Telmo succumbed.

In your desire to maintain anonymity from what I assume was a public post, all I can see is that something happened.

This being the Portuguese a male exposing himself is odds-on.

IIRC there is a well-run helpful cafeteria a Km or two past there.

 

[Penny Kingma]

I just covered her name and icon

 

[trecile]

@Penny Kingma, there is no information about what happened, only that something happened and the location.

 

[natefaith]

What are the details of what happened, that can be shared with us? Right now the announcement is vague but it would be more helpful if there were more details (i.e. mugging? Flasher?).

Edit: @trecile and my messages crossed.

 

[MinaKamina]

What are the details of what happened, that can be shared with us? Right now the announcement is vague but it would be more helpful if there were more details (i.e. mugging? Flasher?).

Edit: @trecile and my messages crossed.

It seems that a moderator deleted the picture with information about the incident. Possibly to keep you all busy.

 

[Vacajoe]

Looks like the OP shared a screenshot rather than a link. Without further info, all that can be said is that pilgrims should remain vigilant and report any incidents to authorities immediately

 

[dick bird]

It seems that a moderator deleted the picture with information about the incident. Possibly to keep you all busy.

If you click on the thumbnail icon in the original post, it will pop up clear and large for all to see.

 

[peregrina2000]

This being the Portuguese a male exposing himself is odds-on.

Not completely sure what is meant by that, but just to be clear, this incident was reported to have happened in Spain, as was the incident the OP reported on the Norte a few days ago.

I don’t think it helps anything to make generalizations about where flashing happens more often on the Iberian Peninsula, especially because all we have are anecdotal reportings (which is NOT to say that I don’t believe them, only that I think it’s wrong to make generalizations based on them). It’s unacceptable wherever it happens, and reporting to the authorities is the only way to move the needle in terms of public response.

 

[C clearly]

Possibly to keep you all busy.

 

[henrythedog]

Not completely sure what is meant by that, but just to be clear, this incident was reported to have happened in Spain, as was the incident the OP reported on the Norte a few days ago.

I don’t think it helps anything to make generalizations about where flashing happens more often on the Iberian Peninsula, especially because all we have are anecdotal reportings (which is NOT to say that I don’t believe them, only that I think it’s wrong to make generalizations based on them). It’s unacceptable wherever it happens, and reporting to the authorities is the only way to move the needle in terms of public response.

Clearly you are correct and such behaviour (if indeed that is what it is) is deplorable and should always be reported to the competent authorities.

We are currently absent any details as to what is alleged to have occurred and, indeed the location is in Spain, whilst on the Camino Portuguese.

 

[trecile]

It seems that a moderator deleted the picture with information about the incident. Possibly to keep you all busy.

I deleted the original picture and reposted a cropped version that removed the poster's photo.

If you click on the thumbnail icon in the original post, it will pop up clear and large for all to see.

Yes, you can click on the thumbnail, but it only says that something happened to a peregrina between Tui and O Porriño, but not what that something was.

 

[dick bird]

Yes, you can click on the thumbnail, but it only says that something happened to a peregrina between Tui and O Porriño, but not what that something was.

Or when for that matter. If someone sees a report on social media, it should be treated with caution. It is probably better to summarise the information with dates and places and what happened, i.e. the essential details, rather than a cut and paste or screenshot. If you see a report in the news media, you could both summarise and give a link to the website.

 

[Lindsay53]

I'm a member of that facebook group. It seems that a man approached her, waved money and made a masturbating motion. The peregrina sought help in a nearby cafe and the police were informed. No other information.

 

[C clearly]

And please understand that when we edit or close threads like this, it is NOT to stifle sharing of information or to minimize the incident. It is to ensure that privacy is protected appropriately, and the facts are clear. The threads can easily move into conjecture, rumours and generalizations that are not helpful.

On the site where the incident was reported, there is opportunity (if you choose to join the site) to have discussion first hand. By the time we discuss it here on the forum, it is third hand - the incident is still true, but our facts are less certain.

 

[Penny Kingma]

Not completely sure what is meant by that, but just to be clear, this incident was reported to have happened in Spain, as was the incident the OP reported on the Norte a few days ago.

I don’t think it helps anything to make generalizations about where flashing happens more often on the Iberian Peninsula, especially because all we have are anecdotal reportings (which is NOT to say that I don’t believe them, only that I think it’s wrong to make generalizations based on them). It’s unacceptable wherever it happens, and reporting to the authorities is the only way to move the needle in terms of public response.

They were posts made by the female victims, not rumors. The posts here were done by me to protect fellow female pilgrims by making them aware and to be watchful.
Today's was reported to authorities.
As I did followup with the pilgrim.

 

[C clearly]

They were posts made by the female victims, not rumors.

You pointed this out in response to @peregrina2000, who was addressing a generalization about Portugal versus Spain. It made no suggestion that your report was a rumour.

The posts here were done by me to protect fellow female pilgrims by making them aware and to be watchful.

Yes, thank you for doing this. As I tried to explain (our posts crossed each other during writing) we are not trying to inhibit incident reports. We just want to be sure the facts are clear and privacy is protected.

 

[peregrina2000]

They were posts made by the female victims, not rumors. The posts here were done by me to protect fellow female pilgrims by making them aware and to be watchful.
Today's was reported to authorities.
As I did followup with the pilgrim.

If you look at the part of the post that I quoted, you can see that I was not questioning any of what you just said. I was referring to the comment that clearly implied that this kind of behavior happens much more in Portugal than in Spain. At least that was my understanding of the comment that “this being the Portuguese, a male exposing himself is odd-on.” This has been a recurring, and I think inaccurate, theme on this forum.

 

[Penny Kingma]

I understand and as sadly the two incidents I've shared illustrates that it's not just Portugal as the first was on the North route in Spain.
I love the Camino experience!
The friends I made in 2016 remain close friends to this day.
I value this forum and its info.

I just think it's important that all be kept aware of incidents such as these to keep all and this amazing experience safe.

Awareness is power in these situatuons
Buen Camino

 

[dick bird]

Thank you, Penny, for this timely reminder that we should all be careful and alert to these situations and to report to the police anything that we feel is a threat. The warning has been given and hopefully heeded so I will close the thread now.