I thought some of you may be interested by this little tidbit off the AP wires.
Apparantly, there has been a problem in Japan with drunk businessmen, probably hoping to get some, groping women on trains late at night. So the commuter rail lines are going to run a special “Women’s Only” car on Thursday and Friday nights, before they close. The car will be guarded, like gold, with security officers.
To put it into context, last fiscal year, this line received 351 groping complaints. It was 276 the year prior.
I’ve heard some criticism about this policy, to the effect that it makes the women who ride the “normal” trains all the more vulnerable. Since a woman doesn’t have much of a choice if she’s travelling with a man, I think that’s a valid criticism. They should be policing all the trains more heavily, instead of segregating women.
I recall, several years ago, visiting shopping center with a parking garage that had, along with handicapped parking spaces, a specially designated women’s parking level. The level had more lights and brighter illumination than the normal parking spaces in the ramp, and supposedly more security. Yeah, thanks for letting us men have the spaces that are dimly lit and “unsafe.”
They have a similar thing in Gothenburg Sweden with the tjejfare (chick fare) taxis…after 11pm until dawn, women riding either on their own or with other women get a steep discount on the fare. Nice, those Swedes…
In Montreal, they have a service called Entre Deux Arrets which means that if you are a woman travelling after 9:30 PM you can request that the bus stop between two stops.
Well, we should all know that men can take care of themselves in danger. Otherwise you’re just a wuss.
I’ve been thinking that it was an interesting application of ‘separate but equal’ to protect a class of citizens.
Anyway, I’d guess that in the case of a lady travelling with a gent, the gent should offer protection against the lecherous advances of the drunken masses. Or maybe they’re only willing to police one car out of a train since they’re being cheap.
I’m guessing that taking the late train is unavoidable for these ladies.