Luckily, I have yet to pay homage to any resorts in the Maldives here, in my Notebook. But I am guilty of “liking” every picture of these posh island resorts that have come my way on the Facebook. I have also used Google Earth to travel around these brilliant islands and Trip Advisor to ponder where I might stay (if I had $1,000/per night.)

Sadly, I just discovered an article about a 15 year old girl (From the Maldives) who was convicted of fornication and was sentenced to 100 whips of a flog and 8 months of house arrest in an orphanage. While separate from this conviction of pre-marital sex, this female was also a victim of rape and incest.

Travelerette is rarely vocal on political topics. In fact, she has never been vocal about political topics in her Notebook. Why? Because this Notebook is about curiosity, passion, and most importantly, travel. However, Roadtrip Notebook is also about culture. And if this kind of treatment is a cultural norm of the Maldives, then I certainly cannot support it by posting pictures, writing reviews or encouraging anyone to dream about visiting this place.

Travelerette loves unusual food, ethnic fashion, crystal blue waters, hotels in tiny cabanas hovering over those crystal blue water, but she loves people more.

If you would like to sign a petition regarding intervention in the case of the 15-year-old rape victim, the ending of  the practice of flogging in the Maldives, and changing the law so that it better protects the victims of rape and sexual abuse, you can do that here.

And if you have $1,000 per night to spend on posh cabanas in tropical paradise – go somewhere else.