Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Safety Tips for Women in India
BY CANDACE ROSE RARDON
B
efore traveling to India for the first time, I was all too aware of the various
threats facing Indian women and foreign visitors alike: staring, groping,
stalking, and most seriously, rape. With such threats forever hanging over a fe-
male traveler's head, I couldn't help wondering if India would be worth the
worry and the hassle.
Having now spent nine months in the country, let me assure you it is worth
it. Although I did encounter men who stared at me inappropriately, there were
countless others who in no way treated me as a sexual object—farmers and
pharmacists, shopkeepers and teachers, men whose warmth, kindness, and
compassion moved me in unexpected ways.
It is impossible to stereotype a nation of 1 billion people, and bad experien-
ces there will naturally be impossible to avoid. The challenge lies in refusing to
accept such occurrences as the status quo, while still choosing to focus on the
positive. This might sound trite or naive, but it's a choice that India demands of
you.
Travel in India will require heightened attention and common sense. Here
are ten tips to help ward off unwanted situations but also to keep you open to
positive experiences:
1. Do Your Homework
As you would for any destination, spend time learning about India and its cus-
toms before arriving. Go in with your eyes wide open, having taken the neces-
sary steps to be educated and prepared, and understand that what awaits you
there may be vastly different from what you're used to.
In my own experience, the most important preparation for India was mental.
Between worrying about what shots to get, what would happen when I got sick
for the first time, and whether or not I would be safe, India required a huge men-
tal adjustment—this wouldn't be another beach holiday or European city break.
2. Dress Appropriately
This goes without saying, but deserves repeating: India is a conservative coun-
try, so be respectful of that by covering your shoulders and legs and watching
your cleavage.
Consider wearing Indian attire such as a
kurta
(long, loose tunic) or a
shal-
war kameez
suit, which can easily be picked up once you arrive at local markets
or from stores like Fabindia. This is by no means a guarantee of your safety
and may not change the way men act toward you, but there's no need to draw
unnecessary attention to yourself.
The only possible exception to this is Goa, whose well-known beaches have
become increasingly Westernized. But be aware that although it is more accept-
able to wear a bikini here, you might still attract unwanted advances.
