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uk Sexual violence & highly sensitive situations someone insists walking me home • insists walking me to my room • won’t take no for an answer • pressure to go to my room • stranger won’t leave me alone • new acquaintance pushing boundaries • hotel corridor feels unsafe • student halls unwanted escort • date won’t respect no • coercive person outside my door • feels like forced access • scared to enter my room • being followed back to room • personal safety in accommodation • harassment on the way home • boundary violation after meeting • concerned about sexual assault risk • nightlife safety getting back

What to do if…
someone you just met insists on walking you to your room and will not take no for an answer

Short answer

Do not go to your room with them. Move to a staffed or public area (reception, lobby, bar), and get another person involved immediately.

Do not do these things

  • Don’t “just let them” walk you to your door to keep the peace if you feel uneasy.
  • Don’t unlock your room door while they are beside you.
  • Don’t go into lifts, stairwells, corridors, or your floor with them if you can avoid it.
  • Don’t argue, justify, or negotiate—your goal is distance and support, not persuasion.
  • Don’t accept a drink, phone “help,” or “one minute” private conversation as a compromise.
  • Don’t worry about being rude. Safety beats politeness.

What to do now

  1. Step into a staffed/public place immediately. Turn around and go to reception, the lobby, a busy café/bar, or anywhere with people and cameras. If you’re already near your door, keep walking past it.
  2. Use a clear, short line once, then act. For example: “I’m not going to my room. I’m meeting someone here.” Then stop talking and focus on getting staff/others involved.
  3. Bring a third party in right away. Approach staff or a group and say: “I don’t know this person well. They won’t leave me alone. Can you stay with me and ask them to leave?”
  4. Ask for a practical safety action from staff. Depending on where you are:
    • Hotel/hostel: ask reception/security to escort you and stop the person following you.
    • Student accommodation: call the hall warden/security and ask to be met in a common area.
    • Apartment building: ask concierge/security to deny access and help you get safely inside.
  5. Call someone on speaker and name what’s happening. Call a friend/family member and say out loud: “I’m at [place]. A person I just met is pressuring me to my room and won’t leave. Stay on the line.” This both supports you and signals to them they’re being monitored.
  6. If you feel at immediate risk, call emergency services. In the UK, call 999 (or 112) and say you feel unsafe and are being followed/harassed and need help where you are.
  7. Change your plan for getting to your room. Ask staff to:
    • escort you via a different route/lift, or
    • help you wait safely until the person leaves, or
    • move you to another room/floor for the night (if that feels safer).
  8. If they won’t stop, treat it as an incident. Ask staff to record it (date/time/description) and, if appropriate, remove them from the premises.

If you think you may want to report later: keep any messages (texts/DMs) as they are for now—but only if it doesn’t delay getting to safety.

What can wait

  • You do not need to decide right now whether to “make a report,” “cause trouble,” or explain yourself.
  • You do not need to keep engaging in conversation or prove you said no “the right way.”
  • You can decide later whether to block them, complain to management, or speak to police—first, get safely separated.

Important reassurance

Feeling conflicted, frozen, or worried about being rude is very common in moments like this. “Not taking no” is a red flag on its own. You are allowed to prioritise safety, get help, and change course without explaining.

Scope note

These are first steps to create distance, get support, and reduce risk. If this escalated or you’re shaken afterwards, specialist support can help you process what happened and talk through options at your pace.

Important note

This is general information, not legal, medical, or professional advice. If you are in immediate danger, call 999 (or 112).

If you have been sexually assaulted, or you’re worried something might happen, you can seek confidential help and medical care even if you’re unsure about reporting. Services and access routes can vary across the UK’s nations; if you’re in a hotel/venue/accommodation, staff can help you contact the right local service while you stay somewhere safe.

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