NZ woman traveller faces sexual harassment in Sri Lanka, shares chilling account of scooter-borne stalker
A New Zealand solo traveller faced a disturbing incident of harassment and indecent exposure while touring Sri Lanka in an e rickshaw. Although shaken, she continued her journey and clarified that one individual's behaviour does not reflect the nature of Sri Lankan people.
A New Zealand woman travelling alone across Sri Lanka in an e-rickshaw has narrated a deeply disturbing incident of harassment and indecent exposure by a local man in the island nation. She shared her ordeal through a video on Instagram, claiming that what began as a peaceful day turned into a frightening experience. The traveller said her day had started with a "sunrise swim," but things changed soon after. According to her, a man on a scooter began behaving suspiciously, slowing down in front of her, forcing her to overtake him, and then speeding up to pass her again. At first, she responded politely but soon stopped engaging because "his behaviour became uncomfortable."
Harasser reappears and exposes himself
The woman initially thought she was safe when the man turned off the road. However, he appeared again the moment she pulled over for a break. "I pulled over to have a small rest and a drink, and he appeared again," she recalled. The man approached her under the guise of friendliness, but soon the situation escalated, she said. "He asked where I was staying and I knew where it was going," the woman said. In the video, he is seen asking her for sex before exposing himself and masturbating. Shocked and frightened, she rushed back to her vehicle and drove away. "I was left on edge for the rest of my trip," she added.
Incident shakes her confidence
The woman admitted the incident knocked her confidence but insisted she would continue her journey. "I am not going to let it ruin my trip but it has knocked my confidence back a little bit," she said. She added that this experience reminded her to stand firm. "I guess this is just another reminder to set aside people pleasing and speak up loudly when things like this happen," she added.
'One man does not represent Sri Lanka'
Despite the traumatic incident, the New Zealand national was careful not to generalise. In her Instagram caption, she wrote, "I want to be clear: this does not define Sri Lanka. The local people I met were some of the kindest and most generous I have ever encountered. This was one man, one moment – not a reflection of an entire country." She ended her message with a reminder about the realities of solo travel. "Solo travelling is incredible – but it's not always sunshine and smiles. Some days test your strength and remind you to stay alert."