Guest Sexually Harassed Me-- what number do I call?

[Olivia68]

Good evening, 

One of my guests repeately asked me if I had a boyfriend (I do, and said so), and repeatedly made grabs for my lower back. After I dodged a few grabs, he succeeded in grabbing my ass when I bent over to plug something in. I swatted his hand off, yelled, "no, I REALLY have a boyfriend," and jumped away from him. As I was showing him the patio, he tried to kiss me. Again, I swatted. Then I told him that I was going to go, and when I went inside to retrieve my purse before leaving, he blocked the door in an effort to keep me inside. I had to hit him to make him leave the door. 

Any ideas on what phone number I should call to report them? This guy is scheduled to stay at my place for a week. 

[David126]

911

[Olivia68]

I left my apartment. I meant within the air bnb company. 

[Scott80]

ITA with @David126 IANAL but if someone touched you for sexual arousal and prevented you from leaving they may have committed sexual assault and false imprisonment. I would make a complaint with the police first and then deal with AirBnB after you have the police report and the guy is in jail. AirBnB is going to want the documentation from the police and will likely cancel his account, they may refund the nights that he did not stay though. I think at this point the payout is the least of your worries though. Please update us about how it was handled by both police and AirBnB.

[Dede0]

Here's a phone number for AirBnB (855-424-7262), but instead of calling, I suggest contacting their Twitter support people by sending a Direct Message to this Twitter account: @AirbnbHelp. Don't just enter a standard Twitter message; send a DM (Direct Message to that account). In my experience, they respond pretty quick and also escalate you to an email or phone call very quickly, as appropriate. Once you're in touch with AirBnB and have explained the situation, ask them to force the guest to leave ASAP.

Please let us know what happens. This is NOT a trivial event.

[Helen3]

This is disgusting behaviour by someone who is meant to be a guest in your home. It doesn't matter whether or not you have a boyfriend, he has no right to make unwanted advances.

As others have said your first call after ensuring you are safe is to call the police and get him removed from your property. Make sure all his property is removed with him and you have keys returned to you. Make sure you return accompanied by a friend.

Only once you have him reoved from your property should you call Airbnb to ensure they cancel the booking and cancel his profile.

[Olivia68]

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone! 

When I notified airbnb of this, they initially told me that they would cancel the reservations and refund the money to these predatory guests. Not only was I expecting a lot of money from this booking, but I also sunk money, time, and effort into getting my place ready for them. When I told them that the money was more important to me than my safety (I didn't really have to interact with these men, since I could just stay at my boyfriend's place, so this wasn't terribly high stakes), airbnb said that they could cancel the reservation and keep their money after all. 

Air bnb offered some unsavory solutions: canceling with the guests by notifying them that they wouldn't tolerate sexual assualt. If they'd done that, then these men would have had the opportunity to trash my place. I wound up notifying the police, which was surprisingly alarming because five cop cars descended on my apartment with sirens and everything. They removed the men from my apartment but, shockingly, said they couldn't arrest the one who sexually assaulted me. Then they condescended to me and informed my boyfriend that it was ill-advised to "let" me greet these men alone. Perhaps their energies would be better focused on considering that it's actually illegal (certainly ill-advised and morally repulsive) to sexually assault a person. 

This victim-blaming culture has got to go. 

For anyone who finds themselves in this situation in the future, I would recommend contacting the authorities and airbnb simultaneously. It seems like airbnb has no satisfactory system in place to deal with this type of (dangerous) situation. 

[David126]

I assume mosts Hosts in this sort of circumstance would just want them gone.

I am not sure quite what you expect AirBnB to do, other than cancelling the booking without you being penalised.

[Olivia68]

To say that these men should get their money back is tantamount to declaring that they get one free round of molestation. I went to all the trouble of making my apartment ready for them, made plans to vacate it for the duration of their stay, and I did no wrong. Therefore, the perpatrators should have to comply with their end of the bargain: they should still pay for the stay that they booked, although their misbehavior has lost them the priviledge of actually staying at my place. 

Certainly there should be repercussions for sexual assault. Financial compensation for the stay they had already booked seems like the lowest starting point. 

[David126]

My first thought was 911, the main issue is the criminal one.

With them being in custody, they still have a booking, you get paid, unless they cancel, in which case your cancellation policy kicks in.

With you wanting to cancel, then whatever the legal outcome will be it is not going to be quick, I assume it takes months to go through the process. And anyway there is no civil way you can hang on to the money. Contractually if you cancel they get the booking cost back.

I really do not see what AirBnB can be expected to do, sounds like they have acknowledged the situation and will not penalise you for the cancellation.

[Helen3]

@Olivia68 I am truly shocked that when you spoke to Airbnb  you stated ' I told them that the money was more important to me than my safety'.

More than one man staying in your place sexually assaulted you, yet you were happy for them to continue staying there for the money.

You could have asked Airbnb to cancel the guest and open up your listing to help you get a replacement booking.

I'm also shocked that Airbnb suggested you let them stay if they apologised for your behaviour.  If Airbnb actually said this, I would seriously consider not hosting with them any more.

The response of both the police and Airbnb to your sexual assault is unacceptable. Your complaint should have been taken seriously. A woman is never to blame and shouldn't have to have a man with her to ensure that other men don't behave badly.

However I question any woman who doesn't firstly contact the Police in this situation. You don't know what sort of history they have when it comes to sexual assault.

And why wouldn't you want them to be banned from Airbnb - the next female host who finds herself alone with them may not be so lucky.

[Hazami0]

Olivia -- i'm also dealing with this. I'm considering filing a case against Airbnb. Please let me know if I can contact you. it's appalling. 

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@Olivia68 wrote:

To say that these men should get their money back is tantamount to declaring that they get one free round of molestation. I went to all the trouble of making my apartment ready for them, made plans to vacate it for the duration of their stay, and I did no wrong. Therefore, the perpatrators should have to comply with their end of the bargain: they should still pay for the stay that they booked, although their misbehavior has lost them the priviledge of actually staying at my place. 

Certainly there should be repercussions for sexual assault. Financial compensation for the stay they had already booked seems like the lowest starting point. 

---

[Sandra189]

@Olivia68  Airbnb booked two SIX time convicted child abusers/molesters/thiefs into my home. Im getting NOWHERE.  I contacted Air BnB immediatly for their address because they had stolen 500 bucks and leaving.  The told me too bad you cant have information thats private!! WHAT...Im calling the fing police.  The customer service/respose team is a JOKE.  The molester who comitted incest also took children stripped them nakedstrapped to bed.handcuffed to bedcovered windows with blankets and turned out lights leaving for days at a time WITH HIS WIFE.

He got in my face tried to intimidate me raising his voice ect.  Still Air BnB will not take him OFF the platform.  They wont take off the slimy review he left they wont call me they wont give me my damage deposit.  AND they tell us they do background checks...LIES

All I did was google his name and the cases started at the TOP story and continued down. 

I was in my house with this man.  I lived thru molestation and rape as a child.  It allllll came flooding back with this nightmare.

Please contact me if you learned anything.

Thanks

[Mandi-S-Just-Business-Ro0]

It happened to me too. I was quite sick at the time. Fellow had 60 prior reviews. The last year were mostly attractive single hosts. 

[Lili133]

Airbnb Needs a class action lawsuit by all the female hosts who have been sexually harassed and then told to put up with it. Keep the 1 star review and NEVER be a superhost now because you refused their advances. This is a problem with an all male sex starved Airbnb corporate board. This is a fantasy that the sex starved male corporate board wants to perpetuate the fantasy of meeting sex starved females in group houses. Airbnb will tell female hosts to put up an ugly picture. That’s what AirBnB will tell you you’re too attractive to be a host