A holiday by the beach should be a carefree escape, but for one woman, her experience took an unsettling turn after an encounter with a man that left her questioning her safety and choices.

What followed was a revealing conversation about harassment, vulnerability, and the pressure women face when simply enjoying a day in the sun.

Here's the full story.

A disturbing encounter during a beach holiday in Mexico left 26-year-old Emily Marzilli feeling shaken and questioning her personal safety.

Emily, a diving instructor, was filming crabs on the beach with her new iPhone when she turned around and found a man allegedly masturbating just metres away.

The incident, which occurred earlier this month, left Emily horrified and quickly changed her perspective on wearing a bikini while travelling.

Woman left shaken by disturbing beach encounter in Mexico. Image source: Emily Marzilli

She recounted the event on social media, where she received overwhelming support from women who had faced similar experiences.

'Does my bikini suddenly make me an object of desire?' Emily asked, expressing her shock and frustration.

Swimwear brand owner Rebecca Pask saw Emily’s story and described the man’s actions as 'disgraceful,' calling for men to 'do better.'

'No one should have to experience that,' Rebecca said, adding: 'Women should be able to wear what they want and not face the backlash of men’s actions.'

The incident unfolded when Emily was enjoying her time on the beach, filming small creatures like crabs with her iPhone.

A man approached her earlier, informing her that he would be 'naked' behind some rocks but assured her he would not 'bother' her.

After the brief exchange, Emily moved further down the beach to avoid him.

About 30 minutes later, while taking videos of crabs, she turned around to find the man just 10 metres away, pleasuring himself.

'I got a new iPhone and was testing out the camera and taking videos of little shells and crabs,' she recalled. 'It wasn’t sexy. I wasn’t on the beach twerking, I’m in like a Gollum from Lord of the Rings position with my phone.'

Panicked, she quickly stopped filming and sought out her friend before leaving the beach as fast as possible.

Back at her hostel, Emily was emotionally overwhelmed, breaking down as she shared the disturbing experience with other guests.

She questioned whether she had done something to make herself vulnerable, asking: 'What did I do to put myself in that situation?'

Her friend responded: 'You were a girl in a bikini on the beach.'

In the aftermath, Emily took to social media, where many women shared similar stories of harassment at beaches.

She was struck by how widespread the issue seemed to be.

'One girl told me she was in Greece, lying on her towel in the sun and felt rain drops from where a man had ejaculated on her,' Emily said.

'Even men' reached out to her about their experiences with flashers.

Emily admitted that it was 'shocking and alarming' just how many people had faced similar situations.

While some followers suggested she should have confronted the man or defended herself physically, Emily explained she was in shock at the time.

'There’s no way in hell I am approaching someone insane enough to do that in public,' she said. 'We were out as fast as we could.'

When discussing whether to report the incident to the police, Emily revealed that other women had been laughed at or even asked to undergo psychological tests after reporting similar experiences.

As she was heading back to Baja California, where she operates a dive school, Emily decided against reporting the matter to authorities.

In the wake of the trauma, Emily said she had felt compelled to dress more modestly while travelling to avoid similar situations.

'I think it’s sad. I love to be expressive, and part of that is the way that I dress. But I value safety and not having another experience like that,' she shared.

Her message to other women was to stay aware and always have a safety backup plan.

'The best way that we can learn how to not be in these situations is to just always be observant and have people to contact in case s*** hits the fan,' she said.

Rebecca Pask also emphasised the need for accountability, stating that 'we cannot stop how others act, we can control how we react and what we do to hold them accountable.'

She stressed that women deserve to feel empowered in whatever makes them feel confident, and in this instance, wearing a bikini was absolutely appropriate.

'The solution is just be aware of where you’re wearing skimpy bikinis and let’s educate our males on what’s acceptable and what’s not,' Rebecca added.

'That is a hard line, it’s harassment and indecent exposure is not okay.'

In a previous story, we explored the growing concerns around swimwear choices and public spaces.

This topic highlights the ongoing debate about what’s appropriate and what isn’t when it comes to beachwear.

To learn more about the recent uproar surrounding swimwear bans, be sure to check out the full story.

Key Takeaways

• Emily Marzilli had a disturbing encounter with a man masturbating on the beach in Mexico, making her question her safety.
• She received overwhelming support on social media from women who shared similar harassment experiences.
• Emily decided against reporting the incident to the police, citing previous cases where women had been dismissed.
• Rebecca Pask called for better male accountability and stressed the importance of women feeling empowered in their choice of clothing.

Incidents like these highlight how unsafe public spaces can sometimes feel for women. What steps do you think should be taken to ensure everyone feels safe at the beach?

Share your thoughts in the comments below.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I think it's disgusting what she had experienced. If this happened in Australia I would say call the police straight away and he would definitely be dealt with.
Unfortunately other countries don't take a stand on this issue and do make women feel like they did something wrong.
I'm glad she made it public to warn others.

 

[gamiry]

hate me if you like but I'm heartily sick of women yelling about this sort of thing when they refuse to dress properly. I'm fed up with things called "bikinis" when their arse and tits hang out all over the place. GET DRESSED AND YOU'LL BE TREATED WITH RESPECT. In this story the woman has almost nothing on yet she yells about a bloke doing the same thing. Women can do as they like but let a bloke let his dick hang out (no matter what he was doing with it) and he's in big trouble, often in Court and sometimes in Jail. The original bikini was a pretty article of clothing which was a joy to see. You can't even walk down the street without seeing tits, bare arses and clothes that should have been in the rag bag. What ever happened to pride and self respect?

 

[Allie1919]

It doesn’t matter what a woman is wearing- bikini or tracksuit-this kind of sick behaviour results from the thrill the perpetrator gets from exposing himself to young girls or women. It’s the result of a depraved mind - not what the victim is wearing!!!!

 

[gamiry]

It doesn’t matter what a woman is wearing- bikini or tracksuit-this kind of sick behaviour results from the thrill the perpetrator gets from exposing himself to young girls or women. It’s the result of a depraved mind - not what the victim is wearing!!!!

bullshit. You expect men to be angels while women stick it up their noses. As far as I'm concerned the depraved ones are females who flaunt their bits and pieces and expect respect. As I said, women do what they like, men end up in Court.

 

[Suzanne rose]

hate me if you like but I'm heartily sick of women yelling about this sort of thing when they refuse to dress properly. I'm fed up with things called "bikinis" when their arse and tits hang out all over the place. GET DRESSED AND YOU'LL BE TREATED WITH RESPECT. In this story the woman has almost nothing on yet she yells about a bloke doing the same thing. Women can do as they like but let a bloke let his dick hang out (no matter what he was doing with it) and he's in big trouble, often in Court and sometimes in Jail. The original bikini was a pretty article of clothing which was a joy to see. You can't even walk down the street without seeing tits, bare arses and clothes that should have been in the rag bag. What ever happened to pride and self respect?

There is a huge difference with a man looking at a woman and looking and masturbating!!!

Nothing wrong with the bikini she is wearing !!

Men loook at women and women look at men but when it goes to masturbating and in public that is on a level that is so wrong.

We are not a Moslem country and should be able to wear what we want without fear

 

[Suzanne rose]

bullshit. You expect men to be angels while women stick it up their noses. As far as I'm concerned the depraved ones are females who flaunt their bits and pieces and expect respect. As I said, women do what they like, men end up in Court.

You are very rare with your way of thinking. Can't wait to hear what other men have to say.

You sound like you have no respect for women and would actually do what this guy did. Your saying its OK

I always thought you were a female

 

[gamiry]

You are very rare with your way of thinking. Can't wait to hear what other men have to say.

You sound like you have no respect for women and would actually do what this guy did. Your saying its OK

I always thought you were a female

I often agree with you Suzanne but you are so wrong this time. I have the utmost respect for both males and females but these days women get away with what men have no hope of. I'm not questioning the masturbation but what else do you expect when women shove it up their noses. I just sick of the constant scream about this type of thing. It's not going to be long before females are walking down the street NAKED. They are almost there now and I'm heartily sick of seeing women's bits in the street, in magazines, newspapers and on tv. You want respect, EARN IT.

 

[Penny4]

Many years ago, I was getting a haircut at a hairdressing salon. We all heard a noise, looked at the side full length window, & saw a man doing it while looking at us. Nobody was wearing revealing bikinis or clothes. Perhaps the guy wanted an audience .. who knows.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I often agree with you Suzanne but you are so wrong this time. I have the utmost respect for both males and females but these days women get away with what men have no hope of. I'm not questioning the masturbation but what else do you expect when women shove it up their noses. I just sick of the constant scream about this type of thing. It's not going to be long before females are walking down the street NAKED. They are almost there now and I'm heartily sick of seeing women's bits in the street, in magazines, newspapers and on tv. You want respect, EARN IT.

Honestly the only place I see it is on the beach where women wear g-strings and even now women have gone back to wearing normal bikini's.

I go to a lot of weddings and formal events and very rarely see a women flaunting everything.
Out of my 8 daughters none flaunt their boobs. I have one who will wear a short dress to a wedding but then what's the difference to when she wears shorts.

It all comes down to respect, and respecting each other

 

[Penny4]

hate me if you like but I'm heartily sick of women yelling about this sort of thing when they refuse to dress properly. I'm fed up with things called "bikinis" when their arse and tits hang out all over the place. GET DRESSED AND YOU'LL BE TREATED WITH RESPECT. In this story the woman has almost nothing on yet she yells about a bloke doing the same thing. Women can do as they like but let a bloke let his dick hang out (no matter what he was doing with it) and he's in big trouble, often in Court and sometimes in Jail. The original bikini was a pretty article of clothing which was a joy to see. You can't even walk down the street without seeing tits, bare arses and clothes that should have been in the rag bag. What ever happened to pride and self respect?

Not sure about that. Men wear extra tight bike shorts when cycling around the streets. Bodybuilders wear very revealing tight gym pants & singlet, and can seen at the shops after their workout.

 

[Suzanne rose]

Not sure about that. Men wear extra tight bike shorts when cycling around the streets. Bodybuilders wear very revealing tight gym pants & singlet, and can seen at the shops after their workout.

And what about walking around with shirts opened and showing their bulge when wearing their bungy smugglers and coming out of the water

 

[gamiry]

Honestly the only place I see it is on the beach where women wear g-strings and even now women have gone back to wearing normal bikini's.

I go to a lot of weddings and formal events and very rarely see a women flaunting everything.
Out of my 8 daughters none flaunt their boobs. I have one who will wear a short dress to a wedding but then what's the difference to when she wears shorts.

It all comes down to respect, and respecting each other

you must be lucky. I still wear shorts, wore miniskirts and 2 piece swimming costumes but ALWAYS covered up what was not for public show. In Bundy you often see women with short shorts with even pockets hanging below the leg they are so short. You only have to look in magazines to see women wearing dresses that are completely see through. I enjoy seeing a well dressed female but, as I've said, not with her bits hanging out.

 

[gamiry]

Not sure about that. Men wear extra tight bike shorts when cycling around the streets. Bodybuilders wear very revealing tight gym pants & singlet, and can seen at the shops after their workout.

Agreed BUT their dick is not hanging out of their clothes. IT IS COVERED.

 

[Penny4]

Agreed BUT their dick is not hanging out of their clothes. IT IS COVERED.

Umm ... bikinis cover women's bits.

 

[gamiry]

And what about walking around with shirts opened and showing their bulge when wearing their bungy smugglers and coming out of the water

for Christ's sake get a life. Not like you to nitpick and I not what you call "bungy", actually "budgie" smugglers are "coming out of the water." Where else do you wear them except in the WATER. Not normally down the street.

 

[gamiry]

Umm ... bikinis cover women's bits.

They do????? Which bits? Not around our beaches they normally don't.

 

[Suzanne rose]

you must be lucky. I still wear shorts, wore miniskirts and 2 piece swimming costumes but ALWAYS covered up what was not for public show. In Bundy you often see women with short shorts with even pockets hanging below the leg they are so short. You only have to look in magazines to see women wearing dresses that are completely see through. I enjoy seeing a well dressed female but, as I've said, not with her bits hanging out.

Those shorts with pockets hanging out were a so called fashion statement. The pockets were made longer. Thus was one piece of fashion I hated.

What fashion is in magazines usually stay in magazines and not worn my the average lady

My daughter wears a see through crotchet cover up over her swimmers.

I think the biggest worry for a male is being wrongly accused of rape. But then when you have men masturbating in public while watching a woman then to me that's leading up there to rape.

 

[Suzanne rose]

for Christ's sake get a life. Not like you to nitpick and I not what you call "bungy", actually "budgie" smugglers are "coming out of the water." Where else do you wear them except in the WATER. Not normally down the street.

And where else do women wear a bikini

 

[Suzanne rose]

Agreed BUT their dick is not hanging out of their clothes. IT IS COVERED.

What about huge bulge in their pants