We're sorry to hear things didn't go well. Here's what we recommend, depending on where things stand.
If You Are in Immediate Danger
Your safety comes first. Leave the situation if you can, and call local authorities. On mobile, you can use the Call Local Authorities option in Safety Tools. It connects you to emergency services anywhere in the world without needing to know the local number. To access Safety Tools, tap Library in the bottom navigation bar, then tap Safety
in the top right corner.
If the Situation Is Uncomfortable but Not an Emergency
Sometimes a negative experience comes down to a miscommunication, a culture clash, or a difference in expectations. If you feel safe doing so, it can help to address things directly and calmly with the other person. They may not realize how their behavior has come across.
If talking it through doesn't resolve things, or if you don't feel comfortable having that conversation, you're always within your rights to remove yourself from the situation. As a traveler, you can leave. As a host, you can ask your guest to leave. You don't need to justify that decision to anyone.
After the Experience
Once you're safe and ready, here are a few things you can do.
Report the member. If the behavior crossed a line, report the member from their profile. For serious safety concerns, you can also reach our Trust and Safety team directly through Settings → Trust and Safety. Your report is confidential.
Leave a reference. If you had a stay together, we encourage you to leave an honest Stay Reference once the reference window opens after your stay ends. References help the rest of the community make informed decisions. You'll also have the option to submit Private Feedback. This goes only to the Couchsurfing team and is never visible to the other member or anyone else. It's a good way to share concerns that feel too personal or serious to make fully public.
Block the member. If you don't want the member to be able to contact you again, you can block them from their profile at any time.
One Thing to Know: Reporting and leaving a reference are separate actions. Doing one doesn't do the other. If you want both on the record, you'll need to do each one separately.
Need more help? Get in touch. You can also reach us anytime through Settings → Contact Support.