Justice
In India's Cities, Separation Doesn't Mean Safety for Women
Women-only trains and taxis may only be reinforcing the threat of sexual violence in places like Gurgaon.
Before I went on a recent trip to Gurgaon, India, just outside of New Delhi, I got a lot of warnings about things to watch out for. Don’t drink the water, people told me. Don’t eat raw vegetables. Watch out for mobs (this from the State Department website). Get vaccinated against polio and typhoid, and take your anti-malaria pills.
Oh yeah, and another thing? “Gurgaon's really unsafe for women, so do be careful, especially after it gets dark,” an Indian journalist wrote me in an email. “I know I sound paranoid, but you can't miss it when you're here :).” Somehow, the smiley emoticon made her warning even more unsettling.