“Are you safe in India?”
If you come to India often, you probably get this question a lot.
My impulse answer is usually, “Yes, things are unbelievably safe here.” I can send my wife and kids on a train, knowing the other passengers (complete strangers up to that moment) will take good care of them. My wife can go out on her own in the evening without much worry. In Mumbai, Reader’s Digest recently left 12 wallets with about Rs. 3,000 each on the streets to see how many would be returned. Our Mumbaikars returned 9 of them (2nd most in the word).
Yet, there are still authentic reports of petty crime, rape, corruption, and mob violence that are at least enough to make relatives worry. (This article discusses crimes done by a human intending to harm you. If you are looking for staying healthy in India, see the link.)
Many factors affect your safety in India. Men have very few concerns, whereas women need to be more cautious. The region of India you live in can make a big difference. For example, I would not be as comfortable with my wife going out on her own in Delhi as opposed to Chennai. Travelling with children actually endears you more and makes you less likely to be the target of a serious crime. [Read more…]