Mexico City Transit Goes Grope-Free

Travel Blog • Julia Ross • 01.24.08 | 11:41 AM ET

I feel for the women of Mexico City. Like their long-suffering sisters in Tokyo, they daily run a gauntlet of gropes and grabs while commuting on jam-packed buses and subway cars. Now the city has given them some breathing room, at least. According to Reuters, a new women-only bus service got under way this week, turning men away at the door. The city plans to expand the service to 15 routes by April.

I can’t imagine having to fend off gropers in Washington D.C.‘s Metro system—commuters here are pretty staid—but I did take advantage of the women-only subway cars in Tokyo last spring, and felt, for a few minutes, at least, part of a global sisterhood. I’ve been lucky in my travels; I’ve never had to fight off a groper in a foreign country. But I’d be curious to know which cities—aside from the usual suspects—are known for this kind of thing. Any anecdotes to share, ladies?

Photo by 416style via Flickr (Creative Commons).