Experience vs. Reality
Train thoughts on the reality of violence against women on Indian public transport.
Before traveling to India, I was warned by many:
“Be careful, especially around men. Don’t walk alone at night, don’t show too much skin, don’t be overly friendly, etc.”.
I didn’t take much notice, especially because as a solo female traveler (and a woman), these precautions are already second nature to me.
Fast forward to being in India, and I felt unsettled when taking the public transport for the first time as I noticed the separate seating sections for women and the helpline numbers delicately painted onto the inside of carriages and buses.
Clearly the problem was greater than I had imagined. Maybe the warnings were right…
However, bar one minor incident, I have not personally experienced issues of harassment or assault whilst travelling here. The segregated seating, posters and warnings are a stark reminder of my privilege as a white, foreign traveller. Yes, I get stared at and it can be uncomfortable, but I do not face the same threats that local women do.
My point is that my experience, or lack thereof, of violence towards women in India does not represent the reality for women and girls here. It is the existence of segregated seating, help apps and phone numbers that demonstrate the enduring problems facing women to this day.