The dark side of the pilgrimage: several women sexually harassed!

Iberian Peninsula - The popularity of pilgrimage routes has risen rapidly in recent years. Now nine female pilgrims have spoken about their journey - and how they were victims of sexual assault.

Pilgrimages have become increasingly popular with women in particular in recent years. Many of them also make this journey alone. (symbolic image)
Pilgrimages have become increasingly popular with women in particular in recent years. Many of them also make this journey alone. (symbolic image)  © Petra Otte/dpa

As reported byThe Guardian, around 446,000 people undertook a pilgrimage last year, around 53% of whom were women, many of them alone.

One of the best-known routes is the "Camino de Santiago" (the Way of St. James). This route is an extensive network of various ancient pilgrimage routes that run across Europe and all converge at the tomb of St. James in north-western Spain.

Now the British newspaper has conducted interviews with nine female pilgrims who have walked the pilgrimage route over the past five years and have been victims of sexual harassment along the way.

Some of them feared for their lives and only just managed to get to safety.

What the women experienced

Pilgrims have to use signs like these to guide them along their way.
Pilgrims have to use signs like these to guide them along their way.  © Hendrik Schmidt/dpa

Seven of the nine women said that they had seen men exposing themselves to them, masturbating or even chasing them along their route in Spain and Portugal.

Another woman said that she had even been groped and insulted by a man on the pilgrimage route. The ninth reported that on one day a van stopped next to her and the driver tried to get her to get into the vehicle.

Another pilgrim spoke out in an online forum. Rosie (25) was walking along a pilgrimage trail through a forest in Portugal this summer when suddenly a man without pants stepped out of a bush and masturbated while looking at her. Rosie tried to call the police, but they didn't answer the phone.

All these incidents have left deep scars on the women concerned. Many of them say they feel insecure when they are out alone now because they are afraid that something like this could happen to them again.

This is to ensure the safety of pilgrims

The "AlertCops" app can be easily downloaded from the App or Playstore, just like other apps. (symbolic image)
The "AlertCops" app can be easily downloaded from the App or Playstore, just like other apps. (symbolic image)  © Jens Büttner/dpa

The Spanish government launched a safety campaign in 2021 to protect women in particular who are alone on pilgrimage routes. It set up around 1,600 stations along the pilgrimage routes, where various information is available in all languages, such as ways to contact the police.

The "AlertCops" app was also developed, which pilgrims and travelers can use to directly contact the police in a foreign country without having to look up the number first.