A recent incident involving a Dutch travel influencer, who goes by the username @avocadoontheroad, has gone viral after she confronted a man taking unsolicited photos of her while traveling on a train from New Delhi to Agra. The video clip, which has accrued around 5 million views, portrays an all-too-common scenario of harassment that many female travelers face.

In the video, the influencer shares her discomfort as the man repeatedly selfies with her in plain sight and secretly records her without consent. Looking visibly annoyed, she states, “This annoying guy is taking pictures of me and being annoying all the time in a very rude way. So, I was thinking to do the same.” As she holds the camera up to confront him, the man responds shamelessly, posing and even showing a victory sign. This blatant disregard has drawn ire from netizens, who condemned the man for his inappropriate conduct, reflecting a troubling aspect of travel in India.

The influencer described her experience by saying, “I got into the train extremely tired hoping for some rest, but the man sitting next to me was constantly talking to me and taking secret pictures of me.” Despite her attempts to decline his advances, he persisted, prompting her to take matters into her own hands with her camera. Her plea aimed at making him aware was ultimately ineffective; she noted, “He didn't stop even after I asked him to.”

The response from online communities has been overwhelmingly supportive, with many commenting on the prevalence of such behavior, expressing sympathy for her experience, and encouraging her to speak up in such situations. One user remarked, “Hey, I am sorry for this experience. Apparently, this is very common behavior towards foreigners. Next time, please ask the TT to change their seat and do not hesitate to make a scene.”

Despite the troubling incident, the influencer remains optimistic about her time in India. In her update, she expressed gratitude to those who stood by her and emphasized that this experience wouldn’t tarnish her view of the country, stating, “I love India very much and this experience is definitely not gonna stop me from exploring this beautiful country.”

Such incidents highlight the ongoing need for awareness and respect for personal boundaries, especially in public spaces. The discourse generated by the video serves as a reminder of the commitment necessary to eradicate harassment in any form, especially while traveling.

For more details on this incident, you can view the original video shared by the influencer here and read further here.