Strategies to Stay Safe Abroad - Women's Safety in India

In light of another female tourist being raped in India, author Gill Charlton discusses strategies for women to use to avoid being raped or taken advantage of in a recent travel article.

Charlton makes it clear greater safety measures must be taken to protect women living in Delhi, but so far authorities have done very little to make the streets safer for women.

“What is needed is for the police, the courts and Indian society to take the issue a lot more seriously. In a male-dominated society like India, this is going to be a hard task. Only last autumn, a high court judge in Madras, announcing a fast-track legal process for rapists, suggested that it would help if women stayed at home to avoid putting themselves in danger,” Charlton writes.

How can women avoid the crime and danger awaiting them on the streets of Delhi? Charlton suggests female visitors to Delhi take extra precautions as they make their way around the city by doing the following things.

• She recommends phoning for a radio cab instead of hailing taxi cabs on the street, as these radio cabs are safer as they screen their drivers.
• It’s much safer to go into a shop or cafe to read a map or ask for directions instead of asking for help or reading a map on the street.
• Women should avoid using public transit or taxis after dark.
• If it’s necessary to travel after dark, ordering a taxi through the hotel or using the radio taxi counter at the airport is much safer than taking public transit.
• All women should be aware of their surroundings and exercise caution when traveling in India, even when in groups.

Mahatma Gandhi's words ring true: "India cannot claim to have attained true independence until all women can walk on the streets be it at midnight without fear of being molested or raped".

ClearCause can help you stay safe as you travel with these amazing safety tools. Download the free ASAAP checklist, get our new ASAAP S.O.S app available on iTunes and Google Play and check out helpful safety gadgets.  You won’t be sorry for taking the time to look into these safety tools before going abroad!