A solo woman traveller from New Zealand exploring Sri Lanka on a tuk-tuk road trip has reported a disturbing incident of harassment and indecent exposure by a local man — an ordeal she described in a video that has since gone viral.
The incident occurred on the fourth day of her journey when a man on a scooter allegedly began following her. In the video shared on her Instagram account on Thursday, the man is seen asking her for sex before exposing himself. Police confirmed that the 23-year-old suspect was arrested earlier today.
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The traveller said her day had begun joyfully with a sunrise swim, but the mood shifted soon after she noticed the scooter rider repeatedly slowing down in front of her and then overtaking her again.
“There was a man driving a scooter in front of me, and he would continuously slow down, and I would have to pass him, and then he would speed up and pass me again,” she recounted.
Initially offering a polite smile, she later ignored him as his behaviour became increasingly unsettling. She believed he had gone his way after turning off the road, only to be shocked when he reappeared moments later.
“I pulled over to have a small rest and a drink, and he appeared again,” she said. “He got off his scooter and came to talk to me. There was a bit of a language barrier, but he seemed friendly, so I let him talk to me, but then it quickly turned uncomfortable. He asked where I was staying, and I knew where it was going.”
The man was then captured on camera asking her for sex and masturbating. Visibly shaken, she drove away, later expressing in her video that the encounter left her “on edge for the rest of my trip.”
“I could not believe he asked me that question, and after I said no, he still had the audacity to expose himself to me like that,” she said, urging women to speak up firmly in unsafe situations.
“I guess this is just another reminder to set aside people pleasing and speak up loudly when things like this happen.”
Reflecting on the realities of solo female travel, she said the incident had dented her confidence.
“I am not going to let it ruin my trip, but it has knocked my confidence back a little bit. The price you pay for being a solo female. It shouldn’t be, but unfortunately, it’s reality.”
In her Instagram caption, she stressed that the incident was an isolated act and not representative of the country.
“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’ve ever encountered. This was one man, one moment — not a reflection of an entire country.”
She added that while solo travel is empowering, it also comes with risks.
“Solo travelling is incredible, but it’s not always sunshine and smiles. Some days test your strength and remind you to stay alert.”
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)
