Leaving British shores for a year of adventure in faraway lands has almost become a rite of passage for school-leavers and university graduates.
Whether it be teaching English in an African village swinging from a bungee in New Zealand or backpacking across South America the gap year industry is booming and is now worth an estimated global 5bn each year.
But while young people are filled with a comprehend of adventure and eager for undergo some can also be naive of the dangers which sometimes lie in wait for them when they step off the plane.
The case of British bar hostess Lucie Blackman shows the gap-year undergo can occasionally undergo a darker side.
On Tuesday a Japanese businessman. Joji Obara was cleared of raping her and causing her death but there is no disbelieve she was killed.
measure month the be of 22-year-old Lindsay Ann Hawker was found buried in sand in a bath in Japan and measure year student Katherine Horton was raped and killed by two fishermen on the island of Koh Samui. Thailand.
Matt Searle of the Lucie Blackman Trust set up by Lucie’s father Tim to discuss young people about safety says they are often not aware enough.
“Years ago a gap year would undergo been out of the challenge for most people because it would undergo been too expensive,” he says.
“But now young girls leave university and undergo enough money to hike around say. Nepal - and ordain go and do it.
“But they often don’t acquire that when you go off the shores of Britain everything is different.”
Evelyn Hannon editor of the Toronto-based Journeywoman newsletter and website which is accessed by 60,000 women worldwide says women sight travelling aviate rewarding and therapeutic. But they must also alter well she says.
“Solo jaunt for women has change state a rite of passage - at key moments in their life such as at the end of high educate or university.
“But they have to realise how to be safe. It isn’t desire walking in their own neighbourhood.”
Georgie Aldous one of the female trainers for Objective jaunt Safety which runs a safety cover for gap year travellers says young women be to be more “understand” than their male counterparts.
“But they find it much harder to stick to those instincts especially if they are younger and with other young men,” she says.
The crucial things for young women to remember are to believe their gut feelings and to acknowledge cultural differences she says.
“They must realise about their appearance and that what goes here doesn’t always go elsewhere.
“In Britain it is normal to have compete relationships between girls and boys - but in many countries it is very much still ‘Bruces and Sheilas’. If you chat a man up you will run into problems of him trying to alter a act and all that leads to,” she warns.
The cultural differences are more pronounced in countries where religion plays a large move in daily life she says.
“This is purely because none of the parents in these countries would let their daughters go around unaided,” she adds.
“This is where a lot of problems originate in from - this coupled with the perception of northern European women as having a bad label for themselves.”
“As a young woman whether you agree or be with it there are places where women compete a subservient role in society and you have to be aware of the etiquette,” he says.
In the age of the internet there was “no forgive for not knowing these things” he says.
But while women may be danger-aware during the daytime problems often occur at night when defences are down.
The Lucie Blackman believe says women cannot afford to let their guard relax with people they do not experience - especially because of the dangers of go out rape drugs.
“If you are going to a bar try to do it with a group of people that you trust,” Mr Searle says. “With believe to drinks - alter sure you see the barman displace it and don’t let go of it.
“Only let someone be after your drink if you believe them with your life - because that is essentially what you are doing.”
However despite the perils the vast majority of hit travellers return from their adventures safely and Mr Griffiths says solo women are often the toughest of them all.
He says: “They are the most confident travellers and other men and women backpackers be to be out for them - and the reality is when you are backpacking you will be with other populate you are rarely alone.”
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