Traveling for women may not be so easy and pleasant, attacks on vehicles continue to increase in the world and feeling safe is now seen as a great privilege.
In the world many countries have created pink carriages, wagons or even full subways for women only, first of all Japan.
The rest of the world still hesitates, why?
In the subways in Japan the PINK CARRIAGE for WOMEN. The rest of the world hesitates
# The pink carriages
It is called 女性 専 用車 joseisenyōsha (女性 josei = woman, 専 用 senyō = exclusive use, 車 sha = vehicle / wagon) and is a carriage for women only present in every train of the Japanese subways, in order to prevent men from taking advantage of the typical overcrowding peak hours for sexually harassing women and girls.
Towards the end of 2004 there was a survey in Japan regarding sexual harassment on the train. Of the 632 women surveyed, 66% said they had been touched in trains or stations.
The solution, according to some of these women (30% of women in their 20s and 30s interviewed in Tokyo), was to leave entire wagons destined for women only.
No sooner said than done. Deputy Governor Yutaka Takehana after which month introduced the “pink carriages”, the carriages in which only women can ride.
# The benefits of this solution
Wagons off-limits for men exist in almost all areas of Japan, they had not been introduced in Tokyo due to its intricate rail network and heavy traffic.
The pink solution was not very successful in the male public but the system has proved very effective, complaints from victims have decreased by a third in a year.
For now, the pink carriages are present at rush hours where the great crowding can facilitate the problem of “chikan”, literally dead hand, a term that is used in Japan to describe harassment.
However, there is the Hankyu Line which has followed suit by offering “female only” carriages throughout the day.
# Trains and wagons for women only around the world
Japan is not the only one to take this type of action, Korea and Dubai also have wagons for women only.
In India, an entire subway for women has even been inaugurated to stem the problem of the ever-increasing violence of men against women.
That of wagons for women only seems to be a solution to be taken all over the world, especially in large cities.
# Many countries are still reluctant
Despite the success of the Japanese examples, few countries have decided to follow this path.
Especially in Europe, this idea hasn’t caught on yet.
There are cities, for example Milan, where it was proposed but without any success.
Why is the world still hesitating?
ARIANNA BOTTINI
