Sri Lankan Man Asks For Sex, Masturbates In Front Of Solo Traveller From New Zealand

A solo woman traveller from New Zealand, who has been on a road trip across Sri Lanka on a tuk-tuk (a colloquial term for an auto rickshaw), was subjected to harassment and indecent exposure by a local man, an incident she detailed in a video that has since gone viral. The distressing encounter occurred on her fourth day of travel when a man on a scooter started following her. In the video that she posted on her Instagram handle on Thursday, the man was seen asking her for sex before exposing himself.

The 23-year-old man was arrested today.

Her day started on a joyful note with a sunrise swim, but her mood changed soon after.

"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 said in the video.

She noted that while she initially smiled at him, she then ignored him as his behaviour became uncomfortable. She believed she had lost him when he turned off the road, but he reappeared soon after.

"I pulled over to have a small rest and a drink, and he appeared again. 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," she recalled.

The man was captured on camera asking her for sex before starting to masturbate.

The woman was visibly shaken as she drove away. She expressed her shock and anger in the video, stating she was left feeling "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. "I guess this is just another reminder to set aside people pleasing and speak up loudly when things like this happen."

Reflecting on the challenges of solo female travel, she added: "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, and I am just angry that that man is making me feel like this."

In her accompanying Instagram caption, the traveller stressed that the incident was isolated and should not define Sri Lanka.

"I debated sharing this - but this is the reality of solo travel as a woman," 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've ever encountered. This was one man, one moment - not a reflection of an entire country."

However, she reflected on the challenges of solo female travel. "Solo travelling is incredible, but it's not always sunshine and smiles. Some days test your strength and remind you to stay alert," she noted, adding, "The price you pay for being a solo female. It shouldn't be, but unfortunately, it's reality, and I am just angry that that man is making me feel like this."

"Solo travelling is incredible - but it's not always sunshine and smiles. Some days test your strength and remind you to stay alert."