BENGALURU:Thomson Reuters released a study recently, in which India tops the list of most unsafe countries for women, followed by war-torn Afghanistan and Syria where women's rights still have a long way to go. In 2011, Reuters conducted another survey, in which India ranked as the fourth most dangerous country. Within a span of seven years, India has moved to first position.
Female expats in the city whom we spoke to, agree. Lorna Akoth, who is from Kenya, does not like going out alone. “Whenever I go out alone, to even a supermarket, people come and touch me inappropriately. They don’t ask for permission before taking our pictures or touching us,” she says, adding, “When Indian girls themselves are not safe in their own country, then how can we be safe with no support here."
Jung Min Kim, who moved to India 13 years ago from South Korea with her family, says that even after living here for so long, she feels unsafe. She has been called prostitute by strangers and even her classmates. “People have approached me for sexual favours,” she says. She always believed the only way to avoid harassment is by wearing 'decent' clothes, but was proved wrong when she was molested in 2015. “I was wearing tights and a loose t-shirt, but I was still grabbed inappropriately,” she says.
Every time Lynda T Kanye from Mozambique, goes out, she has to look over her shoulder constantly to make sure she's safe. "I hate leaving my room," she says.
“People come and touch our bodies - who has given Indian men permission?” Nadege Pricemou from Guinea asks. She says," Whenever I am is out with friends, people stare and laugh at me. My college campus doctor would follow me every day to her dorm and asked me to accompany him to his place. “I can’t say anything because no one believes me. I have been harassed here so many times that I can’t even keep count," she says.