As a solo woman in and out of the traveling world, I’m taught to be afraid. Do not walk alone at night. Avoid darkened alleys or an empty parking garage. Honestly, this makes me angry, deeply conflicted. Mixed signals abound when on one hand I’m encouraged to be forceful, yet fearful in the same breath.
I’ve stayed in hostels, with friends, guesthouses – where doom could lurk in any corner. Yet, I sense a general reluctance from fellow women travelers to use CouchSurfing.
Assault is a Four Letter Word on CouchSurfing (CS)
A 2009 Bitch piece by Mandy Van Deven strongly suggests there are flaws, this article was written after a 29 year old Hong Kong woman was repeatedly raped by ex-couchsurfing member, Abdelali Nachet, a resident of Leeds at the time.
Van Deven was quick to accuse CouchSurfing management of delayed reaction until a major news outlet broke the story. Furthermore, how paper thin their safety measurements are for women. What’s compelling are the comments.
Posted by kfon:
“I have used CouchSurfing with a partner in the past. It worked out incredibly well for us, but it’s not something I would ever use on my own.”
Or this one, by A Duh (!) Moment:
“Can’t fathom anyone thinking CS is a particularly great idea in today’s world. Heck, in any world. When would it ever be a great idea for a woman to stay over night in a stranger’s home? Is this something we’d do with anyone even right in our own cities and towns? I’d have no desire to put myself in a strange situation halfway around the world either. I kinda just don’t get it. Vulnerability is high on my list of red flag items. I simply don’t expose myself to ‘potential’ danger. It’s worked thus far.”
It appears overall CS is a fatal idea, and look what happened to her.
If you delve further some of the commenters sway towards personal responsibility. Use the groups and forums of CS to better protect yourself from harm. The conversation then hones in on racial/cultural differences – how dumb of her to spend the night alone in a Muslim’s man’s apartment.
That line of argument loudly implies safety is solely on the victim.
This leaves me wondering, is CouchSurfing a detriment to the solo woman traveler or a benefit? I say, both.
My Take
CS is a user generated website for travelers to provide/share accommodation or meet for a coffee or drink, even sightseeing. It isn’t freeloading, but a platform for travelers to connect culturally, and in a larger context, share our love of travel.
I view it as a microcosm, a word within a world, where a mix of single men and women, couples, and diverse personalities join. And this world is not without glitches.
A newly formed friend recently said, “I bet guys use this site to get laid.” Given my friend is a man, it was easy to bounce the comment back at him. ”Oh whatever, that’s what you would do.”
He had a point though. CS has faced controversies in the past with voyeur webcam guys or perceived inappropriate behavior by Ambassadors. Why, just two weeks ago a Montreal girl’s laptop was stolen by a surfer. She left him alone in her apartment all day, which apparently is not recommended.
The Leeds assault is an elevated animal. It was revealed Nachet did not have a fully completed profile or references, nor was he vouched for.
Misbehaving, cultural misunderstandings, all of these could be construed that CS is more of a headache than not, full of murky boundaries and a barrel of rotten apples.
On the other hand, Leigh Shulman has couch surfed for over 4 years and swears by it. In The Art of Solo Travel, author Stephanie Lee fully implemented CS during a year long sojourn.
Adventures of a Couch Surfer relays with glee the myriad of experiences the writer lived, most of them positive, grateful for a window into an exchange outside the standard hostel/hotel scenario.
If CS is truly parroting the world, negative and positive can’t exist without the other. As a whole, CS is a unique online community, and as it flourishes, goes through growing pains, changes are not only possible, but viable. However, change doesn’t happen without hiccups or horrible mistakes.
Since the high profile assault case members formed a For Safer CouchSurfing group lobbying for changes to the CS system. A list of those new policies can be found in the thread. Similar to interactions in the real world, the humans who use CS might have different agendas than you. This doesn’t make it automatically dangerous, but varied, rich, even rewarding. Even through mishaps we can grasp what to do next time. We have the capacity to learn, so flex those muscles.
Arm the Missile
The fact is no one system will ever be perfect. When travel became a beacon in my life, I chose to turn fear into knowledge. Travelers research trip ideas and destinations to some degree, the same applies to CouchSurfing. Address CS with logic, how you might choose a friend, a boyfriend/girlfriend, a trusted colleague.
It’s unfair to cast all men on CS as villains. Abhorrent behaviour is not exclusive to men, but to all human beings.
If you are considering CS, consider this:
- Utilize the groups. Independent Women and Tips for Solo Women are immensely detailed. Here’s a great discussion about safety: CS not always safe?
- Media outlets report on “persons of interest” by gathering information from news wires or police radios. That accounts for about 10% of the sexual assaults actually reported to the police. Why? A high percentage is domestic based.
- Sexual assaults often occur in contexts in which the abuser is in a position of trust or relation to the person assaulted, such as a husband, father, other relative, doctor, coach, religious advisor, teacher, friend, employer, or date.
- Determine what kind of traveler you are – CS might not be your cup of tea.
- An alternative website is Tripping, similar to CS, but they are developing a specific safety program.
There is no doubt CS requires effort, a palatable excuse to label it treacherous. Any adventure seeker will give this advice: travel is about risks, sometimes with astounding, psyche-altering results. CS is where you can meet life-long friends, or learn idiosyncrasies about a culture.
I’ve Used It
My very first CouchSurfing experience occurred 2 weeks ago. My host was a single man who lived in a loft apartment. I knew beforehand we would be sleeping in a shared space, but not the same bed.
I approached the experience confident in my knowledge, but open. CS is grounded on trust and sharing, I wasn’t about to cast suspicion on the situation unless he gave me cause. He didn’t, nor did I. The result was a stunningly positive experience. Will that happen again? I honestly don’t know. My mandate is to carry knowledge with me, and treat each CS experience individually.
I’m no expert, but having volunteered at a rape shelter taught me something valuable, intuition can guide you, while information can empower you.
Photos: Duncan, rileyroxx and kokorowashinjin
Source: Vancouver Rape Relief Violence Fact Sheet
Popularity: 100% [?]
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Thanks so much for this article! I was going to couch surf when I went out west (in the US) but didn’t have time to have someone write me a recommendation. I didn’t think about using it as I traveled the rest of the world, and honestly only personally know one guy who loves doing it. I’d known of the double-standards but didn’t know of all these stories you linked! I think it sounds best to meet the host for coffee or something beforehand and follow your gut instinct before going to their home.
My latest kick ass post is..Grandest of Canyons
@Lisa – Hello photog genius! So glad you added your experiences. I’ve only managed to do it a few times, so your well-rounded account is much needed for this debate. I agree on using your judgement. However, truth be told, some people are more trusting than others or don’t follow their gut instinct. Whatever the case, you’re an example to follow. If unsure, investigate further, which you did with the question mark candidates. :)
Hey Jeannie!
Just came across this post. Nice. I have only had amazing experiences with CS. I am friends now w/ nearly everyone (dozens) I’ve stayed with. I mostly used it in the EU and US where I host. If there wasn’t a good choice for me when I searched…then I didn’t do it. I would say my worst experience was just not clicking totally or becoming friends w/ someone. That’s about it. At 1st (before really reading the profiles) I too thought it might not be for me. But honestly it was one of the best things I have done and have made so many friends. I find it more thorough than Airbnb which I do now as well. If someone fully fills out ALL their profile with a photo (and there is a lot to fill out)…you can truly get a sense of the person – not only what they write, but how they write. Then on top of that, you have all the references people left, plus if they are vouched, etc. You can get a really good feeling for the person. I always read the profiles and stayed w/ people (men and women and couples) who had references. That being said, I’ve recently hosted a person with no references. I asked him a ton of questions, checked him out on the internet (a great thing!) and just got a good feeling from his emails. He was great and we are now friends and I’ve seen him again. I can go on and on. I stayed w/ a few people with very few references (an expat guy in France) and could really sense they were fine. But to me, it’s just like life, use your best judgement, use common sense, and also go with your gut. I am certain that there are way more great experiences on there than bad. It’s just a few bad ones that get press/drama. That’s typical with anything nowadays.
THanks!!
Lisa
As a member of CouchSurfing for 5 1/2 years, I can sum up how to couchsurf in one sentence: Be open-minded but don’t be naive.
Whatever you do in life, make sure it is still within your safety comfort-level. What I mean by this is, ALWAYS BE SELECTIVE. If you feel as a woman that you only feel safe staying with other women, do so!
If you primary aim of couchsurfing is to save money, you are putting your finances above safety. But if your primary aim is to meet amazing locals and immerse yourself in their culture, then you will be safer.
@Nomadic Chick – When you’ve the read the book, let me know what you think.
@Saver – Thanks for chiming in! I stayed with a man and it was fine. Not everyone on CS is bad, but not everyone is good. It’s about using your judgement. Come again!
I wouldn’t recommend a solo woman to couchsurf at a man’s apartment. You’d probably be safe if you only stayed with other women or maybe couples.
@Kelly – Thank you, thank you for telling your story. My experience is women or men can be creeps. It’s not solely gender specific, but widely reported in varying ways. I just lined up couchsurfing for London with a gal, but also asked men who had great references to host me. The lady accepted, but next time it might be a man. Sounds like you used your instincts well. Happy surfing!
This is a really interesting debate you’ve got started here! I have been an active CSer for the past year, and I used it while traveling solo throughout South America and never once had any problems.
In fact, I had wonderful, wonderful experiences. But you’re right, it’s a double edged sword, like anything. While I was searching for couches, I specifically sought out women before men, and yet, always ended up staying with a man. I think, in 6 months of surfing, I only ever had one female host. And that’s not coincidence.. the men were just faster at responding. It’s true, some men are creeps. I had a potential host want to skype with me to see what I looked like before he gave me answer… I told him to f## off.
But for the most part, I’ve found that people who open up their homes are genuinely good people. I surfed alone with a guy in Chile and was delighted when I got there to see that I had my OWN room with an ocean view! AND he picked me up from the bus station (although I arrived two hours early and spent Easter Sunday at 4 a.m. at a gas station with two gas attendants) but that’s another story.
I would (and do) actively recommend CS to any traveler, female or male. If you have a gut feeling it’s not right, then it isn’t. But there are so many hosts to choose from.. just do your homework, and really read profiles and recommendations.
@Heathre – I’m adding that book to my must-read list. Thanks!
Excellent post! A good book to read is the Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker. The more we use (and know how to use) intuition, we can separate true fear vs. anxiety/worry.
@Hildergarn – My apologies for replying to your comment so late! So glad to hear CS was fruitful and useful for you!
Couchsurfing is the best thing since God created Eva. I did a lot of CS in Belice, Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador. A good advice when doing couchsurfing: I always look for a detailed profile. That alleviate my fears.
@Rebecca – I was hoping someone with your POV would ring in, thank you. :)
First off, I’m so sorry someone violated your trust in the past, it is a mark that will stay with you forever.
I agree that CS is not for everyone. You’re traveling to your style, what suits you. I applaud you for listening to yourself and not swaying to popular consensus.
In terms of safety vs comfort:
I tend to think safety overall is relative. Travelers in general take inherent risks. How many times have you gotten on the back of a scooter in Asia, sometimes with another person at the SAME time, or hopped a boat made of petrified wood and duct taped to a car motor?
Don’t know about you, I’ve taken questionable modes of transportation, even walked up a simple set of hostel stairs that could crumble to dust in seconds.
Anything we do has risks (even crossing the street), some small, some large. Just because something has risks, doesn’t mean we shouldn’t do it. It means we should be cognizant, smart, and make good judgment calls. I personally view CS in that vein.
As I wrote, to me, CS is a combo of both. It has risks – an awkward situation, terrible hosts or ungrateful surfers, in tune with some amazing connections that you will remember for years to come.
It’s clear CS has high risks that don’t work for you. You truly come from a perspective where trust and assurance are VASTLY important, so in other words – if you can minimize the risk you obviously do. I completely understand! You travel and do it alone, even after what happened to you, that sounds like some risk in itself. :)
Again, thanks for giving us more food for thought.
P.S. If you do want to explore CS, check out Adventurous Kate’s post (below). There are ways to enjoy the social aspect without staying in a stranger’s home!
I first learned about CS from the Frugal Traveler of the NYT. I almost exclusively travel alone because my friends just aren’t that interested in seeing the world and don’t care to spend money on it.
My first time sleeping in the same room with strangers was at a mixed-gender hostel in Madrid. It was challenging for me but I researched and asked around to hear what people’s experiences had been. I think the only reason I was able to sleep OK was because out of 6 buks, one 1 was occupied by a male. Everyone was very friendly and I even met cool people. However, I have met sketchy men at hostels and since getting older have elected to room in a private or all-women’s room.
Needless to say, CS is not for me. I think the big issue with budget travel is that we sacrifice things in order to make dreams come true. I have no problem sacrificing comfort but I would never sacrifice my safety. You never know who posts reviews online or how trustworthy they are. It’s just too much of a risk to take, especially in places where you are not protected by your home country’s laws.
I am a survivor of sexual abuse and it is no laughing matter. It is a deeply soul-ripping event. That is NOT the kind of experience I would seek or risk to seek while traveling.
@RenegadePilgrim – I stand corrected, when you said below that you mainly surfed with couples or females that led me to believe that is your preference. Thanks for clarifying! :)
@Nomadic Chick –
Actually, I didn’t say I don’t surf with guys, I am just a little more careful and read more into their profiles to see what their motives are. In Rome, specifically, it was quite evident that the guys there think they are going to get laid. Yeah, they’d get laid alright, right on their a** if they tried anything with me! :)
I will note that in Israel, I went to a CS meet-up for ice cream. There were about twenty of us, all different ages and genders and there were guys there I would have felt comfortable with couchsurfing. It all comes down to listening to your gut and doing what you think is right for you. A lot of women don’t do this.
@Kayling05 – Wonderful comment! You’ve certainly gone about the decision with research and forethought. What will happen is again – 50/50, and that unknown factor? Sounds like you’re prepared for that one, too. Good luck with it and have a great time in the UK! :-D
@Andi – That’s what I look forward to! The hundreds of interactions in store. And again, it’s alarmist to paint all men on CS as sexual predators. Like any avenue, boys & girls eye each other up, which is pretty normal. You say “no” just as easily in a nightclub or cafe, do the same with CS.
@Gray – People do receive negative reviews and Kelsey reiterated the impact. However, I do think some people were still reluctant, and again CS has implemented a “Report Abuse” button for horrendous situations… personality conflicts or incompatible intentions seem to land in the reference list pretty quick. This allows you to make a fairly informed choice, with wiggle room.
@Kelsey – Ditto. :)
@zoe zolbrod – Quite true. Boundaries and intentions are critical in this type of exchange. Thank you for sharing your link. Look forward to gobbling it up. :)
@Ashalah – Thank you for your stories! Sounds like you view CS in a fair, but realistic light. You can’t blame a guy/gal for trying in the sex department, but if there’s more to it, a layer of weirdness, it’s time to leave!! Which you did. :)
@Stephanie – True, Steph! And again, use it to your level of comfort, knowing the pros & cons. :)
So, I have used couchsurfing once before when I traveled to Chicago (the hostel I tried to book was full). I stayed with a woman, who had a male and a female roommate, and another male friend staying at the time. I stayed for 2 nights and had a great experience! I barely saw the roommates and her friend was nice (we both slept in the living room but on separate couches).
I normally go through a lot of people when searching for a host. I check references, how full their profile is, etc. I don’t necessarily stay with just “vouched for” people or “verified” because I am neither and I wouldn’t want that to sway people on whether to let ME stay with THEM either. I am currently about to travel to the UK and will be staying with a CS host in Wales. I have a hostel booked as a backup in case something happens between now and 3 weeks. I chose someone (male) who indicated that he had several roommates including females, has some good references, and seemed like a decent person to get along with. I always try to pick someone in my age range so that we have more in common; I’m in my early 20′s so I would never stay with a single person, male or female, in their mid 30′s or older.
CSing has changed my life in so many beautiful ways. I have met THOUSANDS of surfers and have yet to have a negative experience. Yes, of course I have been hit on, but that’s life. No one has ever crossed the line. I think you should definitely keep doing it!!!
@Gray – People seem to have no hesitation about leaving bad reviews, so yes, it’s not all that hard to screen out the bad folks as long as you only stay with people with multiple reviews.
Good info, Jeannie! I’ll admit, couch surfing is not for me for a myriad of reasons, but I have often wondered how women (or men, for that matter) make sure they are going to be safe either staying with a stranger or having a stranger stay with them. There’s only so much you can research something online, but I imagine one bad incident on someone’s record is all it takes for word to get around.
@Kelsey – Though, I should note that if I had a choice between a sketchy-sounding woman and a normal-sounding guy, I’d go with the guy.
I’ve used CS before, but I only stay with other women, and only people who are vouched for by multiple people. If there are any negative reviews whatsoever, I move down the list.
“travel is about risks, sometimes with astounding, psyche-altering results.”
So true. Thank you for this balanced approach to the subject of solo women’s safety. One of my most vivid travel memories is of my first night in Bangkok when I had to decide whether to share a room with two strange men. As you say, trusting one’s gut is so important, as is being clear about one’s intentions. But we have so much to gain by fully participating in the world.
http://zoezolbrod.com/2010/01/07/lucky-andor-smart-solo-women-and-safety/
I used Couchsurfing quite a bit when I was in Europe and had some wonderful experiences–and some not so wonderful experiences. I’ve stayed with mostly women or couples and had a couple great hosts that were men who looked after me as if I were their sister. I had a couple men try things though and luckily I was in a position to get out of that situation. Always have a back-up plan and ALWAYS trust your instincts. If you’re getting a weird vibe at any point, trust it and don’t feel bad leaving. I’ve packed up my bags and left at 3 in the morning and wound up sleeping on a hostel’s couch. It was better than putting myself in a potentially compromising position.
I think couch surfing is a great community but like anything, it has a variety of people who are on their for different things. You just have to be careful and do your research. Excellent article :)
Really Interesting post. I haven ot used couchsurfing yet, but I hope to over the next year. If I am couchsurfing by myself I will probably make an effort to only stay with women, just for my own piece of mind.
I think it’s a great service but like anything else in travel, you just have to be smart about it.
@ayngelina – Ah, let me know how it goes!
@RenegadePilgrim – Interesting window into CS in Rome, Italy. When researching this article, the consensus is that on average, there are more men signed up with CS than women.
Here’s an interesting comparison of Italian laws: http://www.bestofsicily.com/mag/art315.htm
Scroll down to the one on rape. As you hinted, being caught in an awkward situation in Italy may be problematic. They did amend the laws last year to mandatory life sentence for rape of a minor, that doesn’t quite apply to foreign women travelers though, does it ?
It really is about arming yourself with info. Sounds like you used your instincts well. If you felt he was creepy, makes sense. However, the gist of my article is clear – what can be perceived as creepy is a guy trying to get laid. If he is, outta luck and there’s no reason why you should have met him. Yet, wanting to get laid is a far cry from a sex offender.
Not surfing with guys is totally a personal choice – my motto is always do what’s comfortable.
For myself? I’d feel cheated if I leave out an entire gender based on my paranoia or my unconfirmed fears. Isn’t that what misogynists have been doing to women for centuries? I’m not suggesting your actions were paranoia, you did what felt right. Just stating my take on the CS experiment.
Thanks for that insight into Rome, very sobering!
@Ms Beauty Soul – You weren’t the only one to say that about the 29 year old Hong Kong woman. IMO, it’s a 50/50 chance. She didn’t ‘follow’ the protocols of CS, and could have ended up with a terrific experience, an awkward one, or sadly & horribly – what did actually happen to her (sexual assault). I am in no way suggesting she courted it, however, when dealing with human beings – it can be a toss up. As you said, go in informed.
I still haven’t done it! Not because of fear but I just haven’t been able to make a match. But I’m leaving for Colombia this week and hoping I can do it there as so many people have positive reviews.
@Melissa Stanford – Anything worth doing is also worth researching. :) And you’re right, this can apply to anything we undertake. :)
@Shawn – Thanks for joining this discussion! The Bitch piece asserts the 99.7% is possibly inaccurate, because some surfers feel uncomfortable leaving a negative reference without anonymity, and some assaults might go unreported on the site. My guess, that’s probably true. CS fixed that with the “Report Abuse” button. Now, https://www.tripping.com/ has an anonymous reporting system. Interesting…eh?
I totally agree with you that North Americans are taught to be mistrustful. We are such an individualistic culture, the emphasis is always on protecting ME, ME, ME, & our STUFF. Not to mention again, newscasts are generally about someone being victimized.
I was walking down the street with my Turkish friend in Istanbul and said, “I haven’t seen one homeless person here, do you know why?”
“Because even if your distant cousin is in trouble, or a stranger – you take them in. We take care of each other.”
THAT would never happen in NA.
@Jenny – I appreciate you sharing your experiences. You seem to understand the niggly headaches with the system, but don’t censor all men as psychos. However, perhaps you do make an assumption that a woman with a half filled out profile is automatically kosher. Don’t know about you, but I’ve met some psycho ladies in my time. :)
@Evan – Thanks for commenting. As with any endeavour in life, research – know your stuff – then enjoy the experiences. That’s what travel should be!
Hey, I have used CSing sporadically on my RTW trip I am currently on. I have stayed mostly with couples or females. If you want to have fun, do a couch surf search in Rome and only search for females with couches available. You’ll get less than ten. Or, at least I did in May/June when I was looking for a place to surf. I was in contact with one guy and we had been trying to meet up for a picnic lunch, all the emails had been appropriate until the one that said something along the lines of “going back to his place after the picnic for a shower”, to which I promptly got a creepy vibe from how he worded it and used the impending bus strike as a reason to NOT meet up. He would have found himself DENIED anyways since I am a lesbian, but I was not going to put myself in a situation that could turn ugly, especially in Italy.
I took a self-defense class before I left and one of the things I learned (and already knew!) was to always trust your intuition and gut. In Rome, it is mostly men who are offering couches and I found it to be kind of creepy.
That all being said, the couchsurfing experiences I have had have been amazing. One woman in Israel I stayed with I now consider a friend and hope to return to Israel in another year for a longer visit. I stayed with a girl in Burgos, Spain while I was walking the Camino de Santiago, who had just returned from walking the Camino herself and looking for someone to talk to about her experiences.
I think you just need to use good common sense and couchsurfing can be an amazing experience.
As with anything I think using common sense and intuition is key. I have never used couchsurfing but I have a good friend that is a very involved member and she swears by it and has made many friends through the site. If you are ever in doubt DONT DO IT! I believe that it is important to build some sort of rapport with the person you are staying with before you get there, as well as checking out if they are recommended. If anything seems dodgy or makes you feel uncomfortable… TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS.
As for the lady going to visit the guy with a half profile… thats a sign right there!
@Shawn – In my comment I meant that 99.7% are positive and only .3% are negative on Couchsurfing. You can read this http://www.couchsurfing.org/about.html
Great piece Jeannie. The bottom line here is you must take safety precautions, and nothing is ever perfect. That is really universal advice for anyone regardless of gender or location, and it’s advice people need to reminded of once in a while. Great job applying it to couch surfing.
Couchsurfing is up to almost 4,000,000 positive experiences http://www.couchsurfing.org/statistics.html, the amount of negative experiences and that is 99.7 percent of all couchsurfing experiences (visit the about page).
Just read the profile before sending a request.
I have had many surfers leave me a key and let me stay in the flat all day alone.
Right now I am renting a flat for 6 six weeks in Sarajevo from a woman I met through couchsurfing, and I house sat for a week before through couchsurfing in Egypt. The guy a couchsurfed with in Bulgaria became my best friend and I lived at his vacant grandparents village house for a year for free.
So I think couchsurfing is great and I only have met the most wonderful people.
It is a subculture that is totally based on trust. If a person has issues with trust (many north americans do) I would avoid the service.
I’ve used couchsurfing mainly as a host with both males and females with very positive results. I’ve yet to have a negative experience. I’ve also met some couchsurfers and been to their spaces, but did not stay overnight. Although my experience is somewhat limited I’ve found that a detailed profile along with several references are key to positive experiences. I’ve allowed new members (with no references) to stay at my place before but they were females.
Great article. As a guy, I’ve never really had to worry about these sort of things – but they certainly are out there. Good conclusion – intuition and information.
-Evan
@Adventurous Kate – Exactly! Every city has social meet-ups, events and even alerts you of other travelers in the same area (right hand sidebar of CS site). As for my host? His profile did state the beds are in the same space, but there was NO sharing of beds, nor would I ever do that. The links I provided offer comprehensive information on how to have the best CS experience possible. Whether you plan on hosting/surfing or simply meeting for a social outing. It’s there, people just have to use it! Cute post, by the way!
Not sure if you saw my piece from last week — I wrote about my first couchsurfing experience as a solo woman, and how it’s possible to meet couchsurfers without taking the plunge and staying at their place!
http://www.adventurouskate.com/how-to-couchsurf-without-couchsurfing/
That said, it is safest for women to take the maximum safety precautions — only stay with people who have the highest level of verification and who have been vouched for by many people.
And as for the dude with the bed…if you’re sharing a bed, that’s something that really should be written in his profile’s couch description!
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