A Kiwi woman travelling solo across South East Asia was left “on edge” by a man in Sri Lanka who sexually harassed her and lewdly exposed himself after trailing her tuk-tuk. 

The 24-year-old Cantabrian told the Herald she was pleased by how quickly local police arrested the man for his indecent exposure but was surprised to find some people blamed her for the man’s actions. 

Molly, who is originally from Christchurch, runs a solo travel Instagram where she documents her extensive travels. 

While traversing Sri Lanka in a tuk-tuk, Molly said locals showed her “complete respect and generosity ... for the whole month I was there, other than this one single incident”. 

She was four days into the road trip when the man began following her on his scooter. He passed a smile and attempted to make conversation, then seemed to turn off. 

However, he reappeared when Molly pulled over for a rest and a drink. 

“There was a bit of a language barrier, but he seemed friendly, so I let him try talk to me,” she recalled in a video shared online. 

“But then it quickly turned uncomfortable and he asked where I was staying, and I knew where it was going.” 

The man was filmed asking the Kiwi for sex, to which she repeatedly declined, before indecently exposing himself and masturbating in front of her as she drove away at speed. 

“I can’t believe that happened. I chose such a beautiful place, but when I finally feel safe and then something like that happens, now I’m just going to be on edge for the rest of my trip,” Molly said in the video. 

The 24-year-old Canterbury woman filmed the ordeal while travelling solo around Sri Lanka. Photo / Anton Lecock, Unsplash 

“I’m not going to let it ruin my trip, but it’s knocked my confidence back a little bit ... It’s the price you pay for being a solo female. Shouldn’t be, but unfortunately that’s the reality.” 

Local police have since confirmed the man has been arrested. 

“I was quite surprised. I didn’t think I would get the response I have got,” Molly, now in the Phillippines, told the Herald. 

“[Police] responded within 24 hours, and they’ve given me updated daily ... I’m glad that he knows that his actions are wrong and he shouldn’t have done that.” 

Molly caught up with friends she had met while travelling a few days on from the ordeal, but finished much of the three weeks left of the trip by herself. 

“It hasn’t changed how I approach solo travel. I’m very well prepared for these things, and I think women in general are taught how to deal with things like this from a young age. 

“We know how to handle unwanted attention from men. That’s just something as a female you learn to do, and it’s no different doing that travelling versus being at home, because I’ve been sexually harassed in New Zealand.” 

The video has been recirculated by several news outlets since Molly posted it to highlight the experience for others, yet many commentators have solely blamed her for choosing to solo travel the island country. 

Hong Kong-Canadian conservative commentator Lauren Chen, responded to Molly’s video on X, writing: “Ma’am. You’re alone in Sri Lanka. Why were you not on edge before??? I say again, white liberal women have no survival skills.” 

Molly said such rhetoric from people like Chen “infuriates” her and reinforces a victim-blaming narrative. 

“The world is a much safer place than what people think it is. And I think people who haven’t travelled tend to have that opinion that the whole world is dangerous and countries like Sri Lanka shouldn’t even be travelled to. And it’s so, so far from the truth. 

“Women make up half the population, and if they want to go on holiday by themselves, they should be very entitled to do that.” 

While some places were understandably riskier than others, Molly said every individual had the agency to take on those challenges. 

“And yeah, I am game to face those challenges. I think the experiences that I get from travelling outweigh the one or two bad experiences I might have in a single place.” 

Tom Rose is an Auckland-based journalist who covers breaking news, specialising in lifestyle, entertainment and travel. He joined the Herald in 2023.