Be careful in Naples train station!

[WillTravel]

The best I can understand from this article is that a 21-year-old American woman had missed the last train at the Naples train station. She was led by one guard on a pretext to another part of the train station, and then two guards committed some sort of sexual violence against her.

canali.libero.it/affaritaliani/napolistuprata.html

If someone else has a better understanding of the article, definitely post it. I know lots of people have warned about this station, here and on other forums. Especially don't be in a position where it's late at night.

This is the first event like this I have heard of, but I've heard numerous accounts of pickpocketings. I've also heard of various luggage scams and men who are dressed in such a way to look official but who aren't and extort money.

Personally I do want to go to Naples because there are some sights there that sound incredible, but if I do, I'll be very cautious and definitely not go there at night.

[commie]

i know someone who spent some days in naples in january, and he said it was one of the dirties cities he had ever seen.
personally i dont see a reason not to visit a city/country after such an accident. of course its bad, but what are the chances that this happens again to you if this happens once every ten years? if i read how much people (not only tourists) are killed each year in other countries then i think europe is very safe.

[Eagle]

WillTravel, thanks for posting that. Always a good reminder about the hazards of travelling, but Naples seems to be somewhat more of a concern than other locations in Italy.

I wasn't able to understand all of the article, but you seem to have captured the relevant parts. The headline is a good summary:

Napoli/ Turista americana stuprata in stazione da due vigilantes

I believe this says "Napoli / American (female) tourist raped in station by two security guards" ("vigilante" has several meanings, but this seems to be most appropriate in the circumstances).

It sounds like the authorites have two in custody? If I can come up with a better translation of the entire article, I'll post the results.

Happy & safe travels!

[WillTravel]

Commie, I agree travel in Europe is very safe overall. But Naples train station is always referred to as a particularly bad one, and from this story and others it seems that the problems which it has are related directly to the official staff, both in terms of what they tolerate and what they do. What I am curious about is if the two guards are in custody, do they go out on bail and go back to work, or how does that part of the Italian criminal system work?

[LHR02]

I've mentioned several times, both here and on my blog about Naples and it's station. The 'first' time I visited there the moment I stepped off the train my internal alarms started blaring away...and I frankly clutched my pack on my lap and left right back out on the next train. This latest trip I was determined to see Pompeii and to brave out this most fearful place to me. I think much of it is sheer 'reputation' if you will, but the fact remains that it is a most unsavory place indeed. Partly it's due to the physical layout of the place, with three 'floors' if you will accomodating national, regional and local trains. And it's not clearly marked at all. Also, step outside the front door and you will find yourself in the midst of the worst any city has to offer. Hucksters, pickpockets, ladies (and men) of the night, it's all one huge con game and most unsettling. If you go here, do be sure to make reservations in a rated place...rated by a reputable guide book or agency. Most, not all, but most of the accomodations to be found in this area are of the 'hourly' sort....even if they look perfectly fine from outside or in the lobby. Naples remains the sole place I have ever traveled that I was on 'high alert' and stressed the entire time I was there. There is much to see there, I am glad I sucked it up and went, but it is not a good place to be overall.

ging

[me]

Germans have word for this: "Bahnhofviertel." literally "Train Station Quarter." depending on context, it can mean "seedy area" or it can mean "centrally located."

dustoffmom said:

Also, step outside the front door and you will find yourself in the midst of the worst any city has to offer. Hucksters, pickpockets, ladies (and men) of the night, it's all one huge con game and most unsettling.

[LHR02]

Trust me David...this is seedy to the extreme and 'central' has nothing to do with it! Naples central train station has not one thing to reccomend it and everything to avoid. It's quite frankly a very frightening place to be.

Have you experienced this for yourself?

[me]

oh, i *do* trust you! no, i haven't been South of Rome, myself. but, i've seen your descriptions in the past. and it sounds a little like the seedier red light districts i've seen in the past {especially Frankfurt/Main}.

dustoffmom said:

Have you experienced this for yourself?

[johnnyb00m]

Hey everyone,

I ran this article through a translator, and this is the result.

"Naples Tourist American stuprata in station from two vigilantes
Venerdí 19.05.2006 14:13


A tourist American of 21 years has lived one night of hell at the partenopea station. The young person waited on the dock for the first convoy of the morning, when a vigilantes has arrived. The man, than second she had to escort it towards a protect place, has it capacity instead to a dead-end track and, with a colleague, he has stuprata it. For the two guards the throttles are released.


The young person had oed to Naples in order to visit the partenopeo treasure. Concluded the vacation it had to re-enter to Venice, passing for Caserta. E' be just the train for Caserta to betray it. Separated E' little minuteren before its arrival in station, leaving it single, to the bivouac. The girl has decided however to wait for the dawn: the successive convoy was to the four of morning.

A sure point sworne guard has approached itself one. The girl, without to put in doubt its intentions, has it continuation on a firm convoy to a dead-end track. The vigilantes she has misused she, followed to wheel from a colleague. Not as soon as he has succeeded to get rid, the tourist has denounced all the police. Little hours have been enough in order to make to release the throttles. The two vigilantes they are accused of sexual violence. "


Obviously the translation is a little rough, but I am going to keep working on it. The word Stuprata obviously does not have a direct translation, but I believe it indeed means "rape".

I will get back to you all later.

[madamtrashheap]

This is an awful thing to happen, and whilst it's not restricted only to Naples, it doesn't help with the city's reputation.
I've often said how much I've enjoyed Naples the 3 times I've been there, but I'm always aware of my surroundings and that train station is in the top 5 least pleasant places in Europe. I'm at an advantage in that I speak Italian (and understand enough of the Neapolitan dialect to get by, when I have to), have dark hair so "look" Italian (until they see my Celtic face!) and am cynical enough to trust no-one - but nothing excuses this type of behaviour; sometimes humans just aren't nice.

To help with the translation, I've cut & pasted the article that johnnyb00m kindly ran through the translator and added my best translations (hey, it's my 3rd language, I try!):

" A 21y.o. American tourist has lived throught a night of hell at the Neopolitan (partenopeo = Neopolitan in Italian, blame the Greeks) station. The young person waited on the dock for the first service of the morning, when a guard (vigilantes) arrived. The man suggested it would be better if he escorted her to a safer place, but took her to a disused (dead-end track) platform and, with a colleague, raped her. The two guards were taken into custody. (scattate = to take, manette = handcuffs)

The young woman had returned to Naples in order to visit the Neopolitan treasures (museums, etc). to conclude her vacation, she was returning to Venice via Caserta (town nearby). The train betrayed her (because) it left a few minutes before her arrival at the station (ie, she missed the train), leaving her stranded alone. The young girl then decided to wait until dawn: the next train/service was due at 4am.

At some point the guard approched her. The girl, without questioning/suspecting his intentions, followed him to the dis-used platform. Here the guard abused her, then his collegue followed suit (direct translation = his collegue "took the wheel"). Just managing to free herself, the (girl) tourist told all to the police (direct translation = accused all to the police). A few hours later they were handcuffed/arrested. The two guards are accused of sexual violence. "

Hope this helps with the general gist of the incident. As has been written here, train stations and the areas immediately surrounding them can be the skankiest places you'll ever find - never a good impression of a city, and definitely places to keep your wits about you and your possessions close.

Safe travels all.

[WillTravel]

Not to pick on Naples again, but a Canadian diplomat stationed in Vienna was last seen in Naples train station, and has now been found dead in a nearby sewer:
www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060529.DIPLOMAT29/TPStory/National

Note, though, that he appears to have been hanging around those seedy hotels that Ging mentioned.

[GoJoel]

I was in Naples last summer and actually found the station to be somewhat of a refuge from the city itself. I was there for about 4 hours waiting for another train and decided to walk around. And, like a couple of the replys already posted, I found it to be the dirtiest and seediest place I've ever been. As I walked toward the bay to get a better picture of Mt. Vesuvius, a man in a white car pulled up to me and made motions to get in with him. I thought he was offering me a ride and politely declined. Then he pulled up again and I was able to pick out enough words to let me know that he was offering me money for sex. Needless to say after that I found the train station to be a worthy spot to sit and wait for the train.