Nowadays ,we are hearing more news about the sexual crime to women in India especially after the Delhi incident (A girl gang raped and died) and women travelers who are travelling alone are afraid to visit India.The crime to women is mostly sexual harassment or a rape.

In my view,I won’t say India is not at all a safe place for women travelers but you can avoid such crimes if you take some safety precautions.

Dress conservatively and modestly

You can dress in whatever way you want in your country and it is not like that in India as it follows certain traditions. I would say if your dress does not attract men to see you, you can avoid many incidents.There is no point in arguing that I have the freedom to dress in a way I think. Of course, you can wear any dress in your home.But when you come out you should follow some discipline in your dressing style. Check out the points below.

– Don’t wear sleeveless t-shirts or tops.
– Don’t wear short skirts or shorts.
– Don’t wear low neck or back clothes.
– Don’t wear tight clothes.
To simply say, don’t wear clothes which exposes your body and invites men to see you. The best costume will be a salwar kameez with a dupatta.

Choose hotel in a busy area

Even if it is little costly, choose a decent and safe locality for staying. Read the reviews of the fellow travelers before booking. Make sure that the hotel is located in a busy place where you can see people and not in the outskirts of the city.

If you have made any contact through your Indian friends, then you can also stay in a house as a paid guest.

Precautions while staying in hotel

If you are staying in a hotel, don’t open the door for anyone unless you know the person completely. In most star hotels, the staff will not disturb you unless there is a need like cleaning,maintenance or serving food etc. So if you are sure you have not called the hotel staff, then don’t open it. In case if they come for maintenance, open the door completely , come out of the room and stand outside till he finishes the work.

Don’t travel alone in nights

Don’t take the risk of travelling alone in night even if you are very sure about the safety of the place as most sexual crimes are happening only during night time.If there is an unavoidable situation,don’t call a taxi on the road. Instead you can travel in a reliable taxi known to your hotel or otherwise take a crowded public transportation like bus or train.After boarding the taxi, call your friend or relative and say that you are travelling in the taxi. Also tell the place where you are currently and the registration number of the taxi aloud to make the taxi driver alert.

Don’t talk to strangers

Don’t engage with any kind of conversation with a stranger especially during night time even if they have a decent look. Don’t bother if they think you are rude.

Avoid overnight travel

Don’t travel overnight alone as much as possible in buses or trains. If unavoidable,reserve a higher class in the train with preferably upper berth as it will give you more privacy. If travelling in a bus, sit along with other women or sit in the front seat of the bus.

Don’t travel to deserted places

Don’t travel alone to places outside the city or a deserted place as you won’t get any help if something happens to you.Also it may be the residing place of drunken or other people who make crimes.

Don’t wear much jewelry

Don’t wear too much of jewels even if it is not of high value during night time as it may invite men to see you or you may be robbed. Also avoid putting too much make up on your face. If you are returning back from a celebration, you can remove the jewels and put it in your bag.

Don’t visit bar or pubs in nights

Women in western world have the habit of drinking wine, beer or other drinks in their climatic condition.In India, women won’t drink all these. So don’t visit a bar or pub as men may get the courage to approach you. Avoid drinking as much as possible while staying in India. If unavoidable buy it, lock your door safely and drink in your hotel room.

Avoid physical touch with men

Hugging each other, kissing them on the cheek or handshaking is common between men and women in western countries. But in India, women won’t allow the touch of their body with other men. So avoid these gestures even if the person is known to you.

Learn some self defense techniques

It is always better to learn some self defense techniques like karate to protect yourself on the long run. Also you can keep a small knife or anything sharp with you always.It will be really handy to keep pepper or chilly powder spray always in your handbag.

– This article is written by guest blogger. Views expressed are not mine – Mani Karthik

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