Safety in India

The North of India is extremely unsafe. Most of the incidents that hog the limelight happen in the north.
In the North, it would be unsafe to leave home after 10 pm. However in the South, in most   cities , you can go out for a late night outing and still face no hostility at most times.
The best thing to do in India is to travel in groups, especially for women. Never travel alone or unaccompanied as it makes one vulnerable and an easy target.
Delhi, Mumbai and cities in the North are known to be unsafe and its residents are hostile towards outsiders.
I, as a man, felt uneasy traveling in Delhi alone. People just try to rip you off. There is always an uncomfortable sense of what may happen next when you are moving around.
Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore down south are considered to be generally safer and friendlier to outsiders.

as an Indian, i dont think its safe for girls..and if u r a coming from abroad, then u should be more aware...because most of the time we see that foreigners face problems here...but the south and eastern india is comparatively better than the north side...

I can vouch for Bangalore. I have seen strangers stop and help women in trouble here many times. It is a women friendly city where people see expats from different countries and do not intrude at all into private space.
Bangalore is a mini New York bustling with Western music and a multicultural society. I bumped into some Belgians, Greeks last night.
North India is more Hindi biased. It excludes everyone else.
That does not happen in Bangalore where English rules. :-) Even auto rickshaw drivers speak decent English here unlike other Indian cities.

As Nash & Aleen said, Northern parts of India are not much safe as the recent incidents can be a example.Delhi ranks always first to be unsafe.. South India, Gujarat and east are always a safer places in India. People are kind here and they know how to move with human..
Its not the case in north..

Just to ask how do you define safety? I agree that it is little unsafe in Delhi or Mumbai because of highly populated so that crime would be high there... Since South is not populated so crime is low...
It is not like south is completely safe and you can do anything in midnight and no chances of crime there. I am staying in Hyderabad and have seen worse happening with people... So safety is all about how do you deal...
And please stop migrating and dividing India in South/North....

Hello Dear, May I ask what is the issue to use Hindi language? It is our National Language and I dont think any one would fee ashamed of using it.. Moreover it is well known and spoken language in Northern side of India like in south, people use Tamil, Telgu, Kannad and Malyalyi..
If you say Hindi spoken people out raged people who dont know hindi then I would say you are completely wrong. I have been in South and North both.
If you talk about Banglore so I would say you are correct because of life style of culture it is advanced but dont forget Banglore is not the entire Southern India... There are states and cities where people dont know anything other than their regional language. I think you know this and I dont need to name out the places. However I think it is  okay because they did not have exposure to learn something else and it is enough for them to do all day to day work... So please measure all facts before posting anything on any social website about INDIA. India is my country and I would feel proud on this. And atleast I would not keep complaining this to any outsider (Since this post was started by a Non indian person). Please maintain the Unity.

Hello Admin, I am not sure about the purpose of posting this kind of post on social media. What is purpose behind this? I would not appreciate commenting such straight forward issues related to a single country... If you want to visit india, you should ask about the particular things. I know you are administrator and you can block me anytime.
however I would like to answer couple of your question.
safety:-----
I would say there are safety issues in America, Britain, UAE and other countries too... so why specifically India
About social Pressure, i think india is much better place than several Middles East counteries where you are not allowed to wear lot of stuff..

Social pressure:- And for you information, here no social pressure, you can do what ever you want to do until u are not breaking law and it is acceptable in society because India is traditional country and still people gives respect to society and elders...
Let me know if you need further information on India.

Ajay Gosain wrote:

Hello Dear, May I ask what is the issue to use Hindi language? It is our National Language and I dont think any one would fee ashamed of using it.. Moreover it is well known and spoken language in Northern side of India like in south, people use Tamil, Telgu, Kannad and Malyalyi..
If you say Hindi spoken people out raged people who dont know hindi then I would say you are completely wrong. I have been in South and North both.
If you talk about Banglore so I would say you are correct because of life style of culture it is advanced but dont forget Banglore is not the entire Southern India... There are states and cities where people dont know anything other than their regional language. I think you know this and I dont need to name out the places. However I think it is  okay because they did not have exposure to learn something else and it is enough for them to do all day to day work... So please measure all facts before posting anything on any social website about INDIA. India is my country and I would feel proud on this. And atleast I would not keep complaining this to any outsider (Since this post was started by a Non indian person). Please maintain the Unity.

You are making something out of nothing.
This topic has been posted on each and every country on this forum.
The purpose of the thread is to ask about safety so that anyone thinking of travelling to another country has some information about safety given by people in that country.
The forum language is ENGLISH. Read the forum code of conduct.

Well, a simple proper conversation with any native South Indian would enlighten you on the Hindi dominance in the North of India. It is more of a demographic fact than anything else. The number of Hindi speakers outnumbers any single linguistic community in India.
There are many parts of India that do not speak Hindi or use the language.
Many North Indians are reluctant to pick up the regional language inspite of having lived for several years in a non Hindi city. More so, in Bangalore, I have seen instances where in public buses, a Hindi person would never speak Kannada which is the regional language here while the bus ticket issuer would be trying to speak Kannada.
Assimilation works both ways. One must respect the regional culture enough to pick up the local language.
Each Indian state conducts official business in its own regional language and English by the way. For non regional speakers, Hindi is used.

Am in Hyderabad and it looks/feels pretty safe to me. However, I come from Kenya where there is a high level of gun crime hence my benchmark on crime would not be ordinary. But am careful about night movements and always ask for guidance before going to some places.

Nash, It is because that it is not easy to learn another language just being there and working. India has 86 regional languages. Forgot about 86 languages, Indian has more than 29 states and If I m correct almost each state has their own language, officially or unofficially. Like I have been stayed in 8 states and you want me to learn 8 languages.. It is really difficult becuase most of the language different from other. You are talking about Kannada, It is not easy dear to learn especially when you are almost 25-30 years old and you have lived half of your age and having a 12 hours job. Similarly, Tamil, Telgu, Gujrati, Marathi etc.... Same situation with people who stays in South India and if i ask them to speak and learn hindia at this age. They can not. It is difficult for them too. Yes we can learn some words which are necessary in daily life like GO, COME, HOW, WHEN, WHERE, etc... Again this depends on person to person. I like to know little about regional language so that I can communicate with people in more impressive manner.. So this topic can never ends. My only concern is people who are dividing india in South and North, Intentionally or Unintentionally. India is a big country with Different languages, Culture and Tradition. You can compare one with other. Every one is correct at their place and Most of them does not have much choice. Hope you understood.

Hi,friends!
I'm in Bangalore city, India. I've been here 2 months ago. What I want to tell you is that I'm so safe that I can walk, both day and night without feeling afraid of anything. My area is safe enough in my point of view.

My Indian boss is from East India. He is Bengali, yet he speaks fluent Kannada. He is not reluctant to pick up the regional languages, he speaks all South Indian languages fluently.
By the way, my boss is 45 years old.
That's the kind of respect I'm speaking about. North Indian Hindis tend to make a lot of excuses in learning any other languages, no matter where they live. It is typical.
It is surprising that you are not aware that each Indian state conducts business in its own official language. And you are supposed to be Indian. Not the rest in this thread!
I advise you to learn more about your own country before jumping to conclusions and make baseless statements about division etc etc.
South Indians usually speak Hindi at a decent level.

"One must respect the regional culture enough to pick up the local language"

We said Nash...

Hello everyone,

Thank you for your kind participation on this topic, and hopefully more views to come.

I remind you that this topic has been launched on several forums, not only the India forum.

The aim is to gather information about safety for those wanting to expatriate to India or are already there.

I will hereby repost the topic below and invite you to share your precious experience on that only.

Christine wrote:

Hi,

We would like to talk about a sensitive but important topic: do you feel safe in India?

How would you define the level of safety in the country?

Can you walk safely during the day and at night without any fear?

Do you think there is a high rate of criminality, social problems or tensions?

Share with us your insight on safety in India and in the city you live in.

Thank you in advance,

Christine

Cheers,
Bhavna

I've stories aplenty of serious sexual harassment and being made to feel unsafe from the times I lived in Delhi (1995 - 96 & 2003-05). I equally have many stories of support from unexpected corners and help in difficult situations. However I would like to challenge the fallacy that only North India is 'unsafe' and one isn't going to encounter issues in South India.

During my 1st trip to India in 1990, it was in Chennai that a guy decided he deserved sex as payment for seeing a movie together. After all I'm a 'firangi' and therefore 'loose.' And tried to force said expectation. With difficulty I managed to extricate myself.

Today, 25 years later, a dear single girlfriend in Bangalore needs to find a new home as the harassment she is experiencing practically everyday is so severe, it has become unsafe and extremely challenging to remain in her current flat. All because a lecherous drunken octagenarian and other 'gentlemen' see her as easy 'prey' because she lives alone.

Gents - wake up! Every woman in your life has experienced some form of harassment and 70% of that will have been violent. She will tell you if you have an honest conversation. You may have even inadvertently caused a woman to feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Is it a universal phenomenon? Yes. Women aged 15-44 are more at risk from rape and domestic violence than from cancer, car accidents, war and malaria according to World Bank data.

Is it worse in India than many other countries? Yes. Don't believe me? India is ranked as the 4th most dangerous place in the world for a woman according to the United Nations.

Do I generally feel safe living in Mumbai, India? Yes. Am I smart about what I do, who I'm with, how I go about my business. Yes. I've learned I have to.

For me, it is quite simple to comprehend.
When a woman says no to a man, the man must know that it is prudent to let her be.
Most instances of harassment arise due to the inability to back off.

Yes!
india is safe, tell me in which aspect you want to know?

As far as India is concerned safety is always a question mark in remote areas, whereas in metro cities like Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata safety still remains a threat in abandoned streets where less population is engaging. So it is better for everyone to learn atleast a martial art. In terms of helpless, isolated situation this will help in hand.

The United Nations ranking is lopsided.
Do you actually know that a majority of rapes and crimes against women in the USA, UK and other Western countries are hushed up and not recorded?
Police officers actively discourage Western women from registering complaints in such cases.
Don't take my word for it. There are several documentaries made by Western citizens on rapes and crimes against Western women which never reach the mainstream. Check YouTube if you'd like to.
Only less than 20% of such cases are actually reported in the USA and UK.
India has a proper mechanism in place for crimes against women. The implementation can definitely improve.
In saying so, the so called forward countries like the USA and UK have legislation on crimes against women but tend to be more like Third World countries in implementation.
On a personal note, I feel sorry for you and your girlfriend. The men who harassed you and your girlfriend must be dealt with strongly. As a man, I condemn such perverts.

Everyday Asia wrote:

I've stories aplenty of serious sexual harassment and being made to feel unsafe from the times I lived in Delhi (1995 - 96 & 2003-05). I equally have many stories of support from unexpected corners and help in difficult situations. However I would like to challenge the fallacy that only North India is 'unsafe' and one isn't going to encounter issues in South India.

During my 1st trip to India in 1990, it was in Chennai that a guy decided he deserved sex as payment for seeing a movie together. After all I'm a 'firangi' and therefore 'loose.' And tried to force said expectation. With difficulty I managed to extricate myself.

Today, 25 years later, a dear single girlfriend in Bangalore needs to find a new home as the harassment she is experiencing practically everyday is so severe, it has become unsafe and extremely challenging to remain in her current flat. All because a lecherous drunken octagenarian and other 'gentlemen' see her as easy 'prey' because she lives alone.

Gents - wake up! Every woman in your life has experienced some form of harassment and 70% of that will have been violent. She will tell you if you have an honest conversation. You may have even inadvertently caused a woman to feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

Is it a universal phenomenon? Yes. Women aged 15-44 are more at risk from rape and domestic violence than from cancer, car accidents, war and malaria according to World Bank data.

Is it worse in India than many other countries? Yes. Don't believe me? India is ranked as the 4th most dangerous place in the world for a woman according to the United Nations.

Do I generally feel safe living in Mumbai, India? Yes. Am I smart about what I do, who I'm with, how I go about my business. Yes. I've learned I have to.

Hi Everyday Asia
First of all, no half-baked facts. Its not the UN who ranked India. Its a survey conducted by Thomson Reuters 4 years back. The ranking is attributed to the high number of female foeticide, infanticide and human trafficking in India. Mind you, even cities like New York, London, Paris figured in the list of most unsafe cities for women to travel in a recent survey done a few months back.
As such the thread is about safety in India.... I think India is one of the safest countries to live on earth. No doubts about that. But when it comes to expats, in every country you need to be 'smart' & 'learn' at least a few things to stay safe, being a man or a woman.

Just for the ease of you and all, I'm going to write in English and French here.

Je crois fortement qu'un pays entièr en tant que l'Inde ne peut pas être mauvais à cause des actions d'une minorité. En fait, on aura les mêmes problèmes dans aucun pays.

I believe that an entire nation like India can be lampooned and labelled bad due to the actions of an insignificant minority. Please know that these problems exist in any nation state.


Please don't quote statistics from so called biased international surveys. If these surveys are true, why don't they include all forward Western countries as well by visiting the social services there and their prisons?

Would the UK, Canada and USA allow Indian journalists to enter and report on their felons? I don't think they would be even given a visa for such purposes.
You cannot twist the truth and present one side of the story.
Present facts on the UK, USA and Canada and the crimes against women there. An honest debate is much needed. Until then, please avoid dark alleys in any country you might visit. India is no exception.

The topic for debate is "Safety in India". It is a particular issue related to whole India, and you simply don't divide India in to North or South just by mentioning the correct fact that it is generally safer to stay in Southern India than in Northern India. We all know about it even if it hurt some people's patriotism and emotional feelings about India. The purpose behind this topic is to tell readers about the safety situations in India and how to safe guard your interest. No one denies the fact that there are many other cities / countries who are more unsafe than many parts of India or India in general, but that is not the topic for debate her. It is strange for me to hear that there is no social pressure in India while such pressures are at every corner, but again that is not the topic for discussion here.

The topic for debate is "Safety in India". It is a particular issue related to whole India, and you simply don't divide India in to North or South just by mentioning the correct fact that it is generally safer to stay in Southern India than in Northern India. We all know about it even if it hurt some people's patriotism and emotional feelings being a proud  Indian. The purpose behind this topic is to tell readers about the safety situations in India and how to safe guard your interest. No one denies the fact that there are many other cities / countries who are more unsafe than many parts of India or India in general, but that is not the topic for debate here. It is strange for me to hear that there is no social pressure in India while such pressure exists at every corner, but again this is not the topic for discussion here.

I migrated from Delhi to Norway in 1977 and live in a town. It is a paradise where many people still don't lock their houses, leave their children outside a supermarket on a stroller while parents are shopping, or let their children play all alone without getting afraid of them being kidnapped. When I go to India, my first safety concern starts already when I am at the airport. I book a prepaid taxi, call my family specially when I reach late in the night to tell them the registration number of the taxi as an extra safety measure. Still I am afraid and hope for the best that I reach home safely. If I am out, I always tell my family about where I am going, if possible my location and try to come back home latest by 08:00 pm. It is a known fact about Delhi that one must try to avoid lonely places whether it is dark or day time. And if you get problem, best is to avoid talking to Police as then you may get more trouble and many botheration if your case goes to a court. Be vigilant and don't carry much cash, gold or other precious things specially when you are all alone. Be careful when you travel by Delhi Metro for pick pocketers as they operate every where special in crowded places like in Metro. If you are travelling together with girls / ladies, take more precautions and try to come home much before night time. It is always better if you can then travel together with some men. As a female, you must not expose your body so much that it can be regarded as provocative by stupid but dangerous men / gangs. Use breast holders and cover your chest when you are moving around in Delhi. Be careful walking on the zebra felt as no vehicle may stop as they do in your country. Even if you have green light when crossing a zebra felt, just look for the vehicles as some drivers have no respect for their red light and may drive on you. Don't be naive and believe in people who are strangers. Never take any food from any stranger as it can be dangerous. Ladies / girls must be careful when talking to unknown men. If you become too friendly with a man, it may be considered as if you are interested to be together with him. Drink only mineral water / purified water as normal water can give you stomach problems / diarrhea.

I feel quite safe in Kottakuppam which is outside of Pondy. I had no issues in Delhi or Mumbai either. The times I feel the least safe is when I am riding with another female friend of mine through villages, lacking the ability to communicate and sometimes surrounded by people it can be a bit unnerving,  on occasion we take a translator which helps. I always exercise caution and dress appropriately when in more rural areas.   We have had a few items stolen from our yard but I personally have not felt threatened. I do wonder though if something were to happen if anyone would come to our aid. I  feel no more or less safe here than in the USA where I am from.

In India,
> Lone female travelers must avoid traveling in a hired taxi for long distances. Its okay within city limits. Public or private buses are the best options.
> Lone females: not preferable to stay in a hotel room (esp. night stay). Avoid visiting secluded places on your own
> Men & women, beware of pick-pockets in crowded places especially in metros.
Indian cities are otherwise safe, by & large.... For expats, villages & smaller towns are safer than cities in general.

Thank you for ur honesty

So I've been reading through the comments on this thread.. I haven't been to South India.. or many places in North India either.. my knowledge for safety is pretty much restricted to Delhi, Noida and Greater Noida. In the 3 years I've been here, I haven't had an incident. Not because the place is safe, but because I did my research and generally just made wise decisions.
When you talk about a place being unsafe in many other places in the world, you immediately think of gangs, shootings, robbery, stabbings, .. that sort of thing. In Delhi and its outskirts (I live in Greater Noida, about an hour away from Delhi ) when you talk about unsafe, it's more sexually or racially inclined especially for a foreigner. My guidelines for safety?
1) Choose where you live wisely... Consider the security, 24 hr power backup and nearby surroundings (proximity to a hospital, mall, presence of other foreigners, etc) more than the price. I live in a gated housing society and I consider it 99% safe (leaving 1% for an isolated incident )
2) Choose your company well. Yes, someone mentioned the locals thinking that foreigners especially the women are loose.. it's a fact.  They do. I've gotten looks for just walking around in town with an Indian male colleague of mine. That "Hmmm he must be hitting it" kind of look. Some locals are genuinely nice people with no hidden intentions,  others will associate with you for the status quo.. others will be downright unfriendly or stand-off ish.. you just have to watch really closely and trust your instincts.
3) If going out at night, go with company.. not company you just met, company you know and trust. I've had no bad experience with using a cab service even by myself.. but to be safe, get a few cab guys(preferably 2 or 3) that you feel you can trust and always use those ones for wherever you need to go. Or better yet, get one that a friend recommends.
I generally do not use Auto Rickshaws after 7 pm.. just a personal rule of mine.

That said, leave statistics alone, the media has a way of exaggerating situations... India is an average place regarding safety.. there's no crime issue unique to India. What you might face here, you're most likely to face anywhere else in the world.

I feel a lot safer in India than I do back in the US. Sure there are problems, but how bad they are depends on where you are. I am sure there are plenty of places that really aren't safe.

When I was living in Vasant Vihar in Delhi, I felt pretty safe even walking around after dark, at least before 10pm. Of course, there are so many chowkidars that it would be hard for anyone to try anything. I have spent time in a little village in the Himalayas where I felt so safe that I had no qualms about walking home by myself late in the evening on a completely deserted road.

For any members who may be interested, I've written a book on women's safety in India. It's called "Enjoying India: Women's Safety"