The Dangers of Studying Abroad in Peru

Peru is the third largest country within South America and is bordered by Ecuador, Columbia, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and the Pacific Ocean, according to the Peru Tourism Bureau. The tourism industry within Peru generates more than 1 million jobs per year for locals, a Peru This Week article reported. Here is information you need to know regarding safety before you send your kids there “for the opportunity of a lifetime."

The top four causes of unnatural death in Peru:

1. The U.S. Travel website reports that a terrorist group, The Shining Path, is active in Peru and “has previously expressed an intention to target U.S. interests.” Past incidents include attacks by large and heavily armed groups and kidnappings of Peruvian and foreign workers. The U.S. Embassy within Peru doesn’t allow their U.S. government employees to travel at night due to the risk ofrobbery and unsafe road conditions.

2. The state travel website also reported assaults on rivers in the Amazon jungle in recent years, with dangers including river pirates. There are also unexploded ordnance and mines left over from the 1995 Peru/Ecuador border conflict. Occasionally there will also be incursions of armed guerrilla forces from Columbia into Peru’s remote areas, the US DOS website warns.

3. Crime reports on the state travel website include carjacking, sexual assault, and armed robbery, all common in Lima and other large cities. “In addition, numerous U.S. citizens have reported the theft of passports, cameras, and other valuables on overnight bus rides, by thieves who take advantage of sleeping passengers or their stowed luggage in the cargo area underneath when opened during scheduled stops for passengers to disembark or enter the bus,” the website reports.

4. Those who hail taxis from the street have been assaulted, robbed and even “express kidnapped.” “In the recent past, there have been a number of cases of armed robbery, rape, other sexual assault, and attempted rape of U.S. citizens and other foreign tourists in Arequipa and in Cusco city, as well as in the outlying areas in the vicinity of various Incan ruins. These assaults have occurred both during daylight hours and at night,” the website reports. Read more about what you should know before traveling to Peru here.

Another informational resource to read stories of tourists visiting Peru is http://www.touristkilled.com. Read about three American tourists who were kidnapped, robbed and assaulted by villagers while on a mountain climbing trip in Peru during January (2012) and other true stories of other tourists in Peru here.

World exploration is an awesome goal, but travel safely! Have you downloaded the ASAPP Checklist?

Should Mothers & Fathers of Teenagers Boycott Costa Rica Student Travel? Hotel Guard That Shot Justin Johnston Set Free – Study Abroad Tragedy

Justin Johnston was studying abroad in Costa Rica with high school classmates when he was tragically shot in front of his hotel room door by a hotel security guard who was an illegal alien with an illegal weapon. Justin was not doing anything wrong. (Read more.) Justin’s family has tried to seek Justice for Justin  with in-depth investigations into his murder and the EF Tours program.

Justin’s case went to its first trial in August, 2012, where the Johnstons and Justin’s friend testified. “The security guard was convicted of simple homicide and the hotel was found responsible,” the press release read.  Justin’s killer was sentenced to 15 years.

Seven months later, the Appellate Court nullified the Trial Court’s decision on a technicality of whether the guard intended to kill Justin when he shot. “On that technicality, all of the prior work, cost and sacrifices the Johnstons had made towards the first trial was erased,” the press release read.

The Trial Court had explained why it found the guard had meant to kill.The guard had fired a deadly weapon at Justin from a short distance and did not warn Justin before he fired. There were no warning shots as the guard alleged, the area that he shot Justin in was lit and the guard knew that the hotel was filled at capacity with about 40 foreign students. The shot entered Justin’s chest, hitting his ribs and then his heart. Despite all this, the Appellate Court overturned the Trial Court’s findings. The press report states that there was “overwhelming testimony that despite laws and regulations developed to protect citizens and the tourist industry, there were many violations of the laws made by the defendants.”

On September 16, 2013, more than two years after Justin was killed. The Johnstons flew out to Costa Rica to testify again. At the end of the trial, the security guard who shot Justin was found not guilty and was set free. The official written document of the trial will be released on October 7,2013.

The Johnston family is shocked and devastated by the trial’s results after all of their efforts to fight for justice for their son. ClearCause passionately advocates for safe global travel and works with parents, students and legislators to ensure safety on study abroad. Don’t let a tragedy of this nature happen. Use your voice. And stay informed.

A recent comment on a ClearCause blog by a Costa Rican named David Stein give this harsh warning, “I am sad for you but you do not understand Costa Rica. Hotels have been robbed by armed banditos. The fact the any court here at all gave a 15 year sentence to the shooter is remarkable. Here this is considered a long sentence. Especially in that the guard was attempting to do his job. This is a third world country with much crime and the guards are poor, uneducated people. Nothing excuses what happened but truly if he got 15 years in jail you are lucky. I walk armed in my own neighborhood at night where the guards know me and things are lit up. From my understanding your son was sneaking through a barbed wire fence after a curfew set to ensure safety. I wish I knew what to tell you but this is life here – all the guards are generally uneducated and untrained and often illegal aliens. If you think you are going to change a third world countries behavior you are not. They gave a severe sentence for down here. I have many friends from America who have been shot and stabbed and the perpetrators received no sentence. And, in those cases it was not an accident but an assault. Some have been murdered and the perpetrators received a less severe sentence than your son’s shooter. rather than seeking vengeance against a poor third world country doing its best, maybe this sad thing will serve as a lesson for future tourists down here to be careful, follow rules and not expect much justice. Your son could also have been attacked by a Puma, Jaguar or bitten by a fer-de lance snake – It is dangerous down here, especially if rules are not followed.”

Should parents of teens boycott student programs in Costa Rica?

ClearCause PSA Campaign Wins Emmy – Keeping Students Safe Abroad!

ClearCause with A2F Pictures has been selected as a 2013 Upper Midwest Emmy Recipient for our new Public Service Announcement campaign! ClearCause works to protect and inform students abroad.

A2F Diectors Mark Mazur, James Rauthmann and Trent Hilborn partnered with ClearCause to create three powerful videos that communicate the drive and passion of ClearCause to empower global youth travel in complete safety.

ClearCause received an in-kind grant of $10,000 for three compelling public service announcements. Goodwill Communications has been airing these on cable channels for months before millions of viewers.

We at ClearCause are so grateful for your support!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4kXV-cAYQY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qg0rJAT4YVI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esuo3E5Ij70

Diversity Issues in Study Abroad – Student Testimonies

Smith College created a fantastic booklet called Diversity Issues in Study Abroad that is available online for no cost. The booklet is a collection of quotes done through a survey of Brown University students returning home from spring semester/full year 1999-2000 or fall semester 2000-2001 studying abroad. The booklet includes issues of diversity in study abroad, including ethnicity, heritage, sexual orientation, religion, minority/majority issues, physical appearance and language. Students share real-life stories and experiences from their time studying abroad.

Locations discussed include a broad range of specific countries within Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, Europe, and Latin America. Valuable statistics are featured in graphs along with photographs of various countries visited.

This booklet includes some amazing testimonies from students, some who experienced being a minority for the first time and some who were treated like locals.In this booklet, students explore the varying concepts of ethnicity, racism, gender, and sexuality all within their different intercultural experiences. Gaining intercultural experience can be life changing, as it teaches us about different people, different cultures and differing ways of life. As we learn more about other cultures and their worldviews, habits and beliefs, we learn more about ourselves and the millions of people that make up the world around us. Intercultural experience is a powerful and valuable thing.

Industry Security Specialist Joe Serio’s Feedback on ASAPP Checklist - Safe Study Abroad

Keynote speaker, trainer and author Joe Serio gave some valuable feedback about the ASAPP checklist that ClearCause has developed to help keep students safe abroad. Dr. Joe Serio holds a Ph.D. in Criminal Justice from Sam Houston State University (SHSU), with a specialization in Leadership and Organizational Behavior. He has coordinated, hosted and presented at more than 100 training programs and conferences and has spent years working in and with the Soviet Union investigating the Russian mafia. He is an industry security specialist and has spent significant time overseas.

“Your material covers a lot of the fundamental information students and their emergency contacts/parents/guardians should know and be prepared for,” Joe wrote in an email to ClearCause founder Sheryl Hill.

Below are some valuable points from Joe Serio that every student should read before going abroad.

1. The ranking of resources for assistance could be different from country to country.For example, in some countries, turning to the police for assistance may not be the best first response. For example, in places like Mexico, Russia, and others, students may have as many problems with the police as they do with the specific issue they’re facing. I don’t know if it’s feasible to create a hierarchy of response based on countries or types of regions they’re visiting. For example, in a major city, the first stop might be a U.S. government representative office, while in others, particularly European countries, the police might be the first stop.

2.  If the police are a source of assistance, students should know where the precinct house is located relative to where they’re living.

3. Obviously, students need to know if there are U.S. government representative offices in the country: Embassy, Consulate, Trade Office, and the location(s) and contact information.

4. If the students are not in a major city, they should understand the lay of the land: are there U.S. or Western companies working in the town or city they’re staying in? Are there foreign missionary groups active in the area? Are there other English-language resources available on the ground? The idea of ‘going native’ could be very attractive. However, fully immersing oneself in local culture also may cut one off from sources of assistance.

5. Students need to know the location of clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, and other medical facilities relative to where they’re living. They need to be clear about their allergies and medications.

6. Students should understand that casinos, brothels, and bars in certain neighborhoods are not places they need to be. In addition, they need to understand where the no-go areas are in any city.

7. Students and emergency contacts/parents/guardians should understand the most prevalent types of crime in the area they will be staying and how to minimize the possibility of victimization. In some countries, for example Brazil, there is considerable street crime, pocket picking, deception, robbery, etc.

8. Students should be versed in the environment they are traveling to. What the student thinks as very little money, for example $5-$100, may be a considerable amount for locals. Talking about money, flashing a wad of dollar bills, any bragging or ostentatious display of cash is an invitation for trouble. Students need to be aware of how to access cash (if it’s even possible) in the area in which they will be staying. This will determine how much they will have to bring. The same applies to the use of credit cards – will credit cards be universally accepted where they’re staying?

9. Students should have copies of their passport pages, ID, and probably credit cards when they go overseas. Likewise, emergency contacts/parents/guardians back home should have a copy of these things. Both students and their emergency contact/parents/guardians should be very clear about calling overseas if they have to use country codes and local city codes. What is dialed from inside the country is not always the same as what is dialed from outside the country.

10. Emergency contacts/parents/guardians should be provided a roster of the trip with names and contact information of the parents or guardians of other people on the trip, a kind of phone tree available to parents in case the child isn’t heard from for an inordinate amount of time, or if something has gone wrong and they need information from on the ground. I have learned that the U.S. government is not always the best source of support or information for parents of students traveling overseas.”

The ASAPP checklist includes more than 50 powerful safety checkpoints that students should accomplish before traveling abroad. Download the free checklist here.

Students – Tell Us About YOUR Study Abroad Trip!

We at ClearCause want to hear about your Study Abroad experiences! Where did you go? How would you rate the program? Did you feel safe? Tell us about your trips overseas!

The Rate My Study Abroad website is a fantastic resource for students to share their study abroad experiences with other students who are planning to go abroad in the future. The website was created by students for students and is not beholden to any study abroad providers, universities or companies profiting from students studying abroad. This means that the reviews on this website have other agenda other than educating students on various study abroad programs. Check it out!

Costa Rica is a popular choice for many students who decide to study abroad. Horrifically, many stories of students traveling to Costa Rica end in tragedy. Read about students like you that studied abroad there: Erik Downes’, Zoe Damon, Justin Johnston, Ravi Thackurdeen and so many more. See more stories on the ClearCause blog here.

If you’ve been on a study abroad program, share your story with other students to educate them on the risks and dangers before they go! If you are planning on studying abroad, educate yourself on basic safety and emergency procedures before leaving the country.Invest in the Stu Card, which is internationally recognized travel insurance and a discount card available exclusively for students and educators. Finally, download the free ASAPP Checklist from ClearCause Foundation to prepare for your study abroad trip. It may save your life.

Advocating for Change

Ros Thackurdeen lost her son, Ravi, in April 2012 while he was studying abroad in Costa Rica. (Read his story here.) Since his death, she has been working with ClearCause to conduct research and investigations to find out what happened to her son and what could have done to prevent his death.

There are no rules or regulations that protect students when they are abroad. Ros started reaching out to state legislators to make change. “I couldn’t sleep at night so I would Google information about study abroad programs and sanctions,” Ros said. She made packages of information including stories of other students who have died to send to state legislators to bring awareness to this problem. “So many have died,” she said. “I kept finding more and more stories of students who have died, who have been injured, who have been raped, who have been assaulted, who have been murdered overseas.”

Ros applied for and was accepted as a ClearCause Advocate because her goals aligned with ClearCause's: to keep students safe as they study abroad.

This fall, ClearCause was given the opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. ClearCause founder Sheryl Hill and Ros visited the offices of Senator Gillibrand and Governor Andrew Cuomo to advocate for safety regulations for students who study abroad. ClearCause directed the engagements there.

Sheryl and Ros also met with VTV Family Outreach Foundation, an organization that provides campus safety advocacy and campus violence victim support after the April 2007 shooting at Virginia Tech. ClearCause collaborates with this organization to lobby for laws to keep college students safe and protect students on campuses. “We want to become stronger,” Ros said.