Couchsurfing: Safety

Written by guest 7 May 2010 5 Comments

This is the second installment in my mini-series about couch surfing. Last time I mentioned some of the basics, but here I wanted to address what is usually the first thing someone asks me about when they hear that I’ve been sleeping on strangers’ couches…safety. Didn’t our parents spend our entire childhoods telling us not to speak to strangers, never mind meeting them randomly at pre-designated locations so that we might stay in their homes?

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As far as I’ve experienced, couch surfing is uncannily safe. Any stories of negative experiences that I have heard have been these sorts of old wives’ tales heard about a friend of a friend. That being said, trusting someone new always comes with risk, and the website itself provides some good tips for safety. A good rule of thumb is to check out the person’s profile to see that it’s filled out, includes a picture, and has references. Most of the “horror stories” I’ve heard have involved surfers who had no references on their profiles and therefore no established reliability. It makes sense that crooks or other scary folks might try to use the site, but to establish a network of friends and references takes time and effort and also obviously makes them easily identifiable to authorities.

If you still feel unsure, there are some other ways to mollify your fears. If you’re hosting, you can ask that your guests come and go in accordance to your hours. Many hosts provide keys, but you aren’t obligated to let people have complete access to your home. You also can obviously select whom you want to stay in your place. If you genuinely only feel comfortable hosting females, fill out that preference in your profile and only host ladies. Avoid anyone who alludes to you being attractive in requests. Most guys and gals on CS are totally respectful and harmless, but sometimes you get a few annoying Romeos who didn’t get the message about couch surfing not being a dating website.

If you’re surfing, there are also things to be done. Talk to your host through the messages or over the phone. Meet them in a public place. Try to get them to take you to meet up with some of their friends so you can see them in a social setting. Stay with people who have a few housemates. If things feel shady, don’t worry about being rude. Find a hostel or even just an internet café and skidaddle. I think another important thing to mention is attitude and confidence. I’ve noticed a lot of hitch hiking guides bring this up. Human interaction is an ever-changing event that we have a great deal of control over. Many crimes are not premeditated but evolve out of the way an interaction takes place. You can read more about some of these ideas here.

Everyone I’ve interacted with from CS thus far seemed to have a good idea about how to respect other humans and was interested in maintaining a community of trustworthy travelers with free couches. Though I’ve provided a lot of hesitant tips, I do encourage everyone to try trusting strangers and see how wonderful it can be. It might seem intimidating at first, but we travel to step outside of our comfort zones and see what exists outside of our bubbles. CS is just another way to experience that. Open up and let go! But of course, trust your gut and make sure you feel comfortable, or else it won’t be enjoyable for anyone!

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post by Jackie Clark

Tags: couchsurfing

5 Comments »

Sam Dulka said:

how do we know if this ‘host” is not a rapist or a murderer

# 15 July 2010 at 1:49 pm

jaclyn said:

well, the system of leaving references gives you a pretty good idea of someone’s character. if someone has spent so much time building up good relationships and trust within the community, they are not likely to act contrary towards you. also, it seems unlikely that someone looking to commit such a crime would do it through a website where you are required to give so much info, such as email, birthday, location, etc which would enable them to easily be tracked down after committing a crime. there are additional ways of keeping safe such as telling a friend or family member details about your host’s location, agreeing to meet somewhere public, and selecting hosts that have multiple room mates and consistent positive references.

# 16 July 2010 at 12:53 am

Graeme said:

im a host in scotland and am going on a wee tour of europe starting next month. my own safety is gonna be quite a concern to me, at home its easier for me, if any trouble arises then my brother lives with me and can easily stop any hassle that might happen (though i’ve yet to come across any negative experience through hosting, except maybe one, but thats just cos i fond him a bit dull)
the references left on yours and others profiles is very important, most surfers feel it is their duty to leave an honest reference for future hosts and surfers to feel safe with this person
in return for a small donation to their cause, the website sends you a postcard with a verification code to guarantee you’re at the address stated in your profile.
while im surfing, ill more than likely be in contact with my family and friends as have the people ive hosted.
nearly all the couchsurfers ive met or mailed have one thing in common, they are free spirits who use this site not just for the places they go to, but for the people they get to meet. Many friendships are started with this site, i’ve made quite a few that i treasure

# 17 July 2010 at 2:38 am

Indiefan26 said:

I was assaulted by a sociopath in Spain who used CSing. I am warning everyone to stay away from such monsters. I have used CSing over 75 times, but it takes just one time to meet the wrong person and mess up the other dozens and dozens of good times. Bad things DO happen and you can never be 100% comfortable. All you can do is expose those who are BAD people (which is what I am doing). Enjoy Csing but don’t be naive. I made that mistake once.

# 10 February 2011 at 2:33 pm

Lanokota said:

Im relatively new to the CS site, having hosted only ten people or so, but ive found that reading the profiles is next to a sure thing as far as telling what the person is like.
References make all the difference, but of the people ive hosted, half have been new to the site with no references, and ive had a brilliant time.
Its all about learning to read people really

# 14 February 2011 at 9:54 pm