A seashell keychain is a keepsake from what was supposed to dream trip to Mexico

Instead, 19-year-old Megan says it's a vacation she would like to forget.

The young Winnipeg woman is speaking out about the dangers of traveling to Mexico, where while on vacation she said she was sexually assaulted and somehow both her and her boyfriend were the ones who ended up in jail.

She told CTV News that she believes she was targeted and wanted to share her story to make sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.

She said a resort employee at Riu Caribe Cancun let her into an employee area by the pool to change the music. She said once alone, she was attacked.

"I had my bikini on at that point, so he was trying to put his hands everywhere all over my body, and I am pushing him off me at that point."

Megan got away and she and her boyfriend went to the lobby to report what happened. A few minutes later, police showed up, but Megan said the officers arrested them and drove them to the police station.

Shocked, she recorded what she could with her phone. "We were like begging them to like not shoot anyone, him or I. And we're like crying and crying," she said.

Megan said they spent hours in separate jail cells before the guards made them an offer.

"And they go to my boyfriend, 'What do you want to pay? What do you want to pay to take you and your girlfriend out? If not you guys are in here for 36 hours.'"

Megan said they ended up paying $400 USD to be released. When she got home, she reported her story to Winnipeg police.

She believes the whole thing was a set-up. "They were like if you have a lot of gold jewelry on, they thought you had a lot of money," said Megan.

Const. Rob Carver said, because this happened outside Canada, there's nothing Winnipeg Police Service can do. He added this should serve as a cautionary tale to anyone travelling abroad.

"You need to be aware when you travel, that it's not like home. And if you're a seasoned traveler, I think you try and always keep that in the back of your mind," he said.

Since returning home, Megan has posted several online reviews sharing what happened as a warning to others. "I don't want it to happen again to anyone. I don’t want this to happen to any woman," she said.

CTV tried to contact Riu Hotels and Resorts for a comment but did not hear back, however Megan did get a response to a post she made on the company's Facebook page.

It reads:

"Dear Megan, our customer care team informs us that they have received your complaint and they are now analyzing your case thoroughly due to the seriousness of the matter. You'll receive an answer as soon as possible, thank you for your patience."

Travellers wanting to make sure they're safe when traveling could start with the Government of Canada website. It has travel advice for many countries Canadians travel to frequently.

Right now, a nationwide advisory is not issued for Mexico, but it is suggested travelers use a 'high degree of caution' while there. That's in-part because of the high levels of criminal activity in the country.