Woman only carriages

[jkid]

I thought this was worth sharing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCShbbu59TA

[Joey]

yeah tokyocooney is usually pretty funny.

[Javizy]

The guy showed great courage, but I think if he really wants to be a hero he should go round bustin' the pervs.

I always find it shocking when I get reminded of the whole chikan situation. That sort of thing is pretty much unthinkable over here, so to think it's gone as far as 'No Groping' signs and women only carriages seems ridiculous, like some sort of sketch on a bad comedy show. How did it even get like this and what do they do to combat it? It doesn't even seem to be treated with the seriousness it deserves.

[Belton]

Of course this video was shot in the afternoon when the carriage was no longer women only.
And somehow segregation and racism in America bears no resemblance whatsoever to Japanese men being asked not to use particular train carriages at certain times of the day. Because women are being assaulted I think it's perfectly reasonable.

But I know the video was done for comedic effect.

The chikans on trains is weird and shocking and just a bit sad really. So is having women-only floors in hotels.
It's at least partially due to a somewhat warped view of women and sex.
And an un-willingness to break the pervs fingers on the part of the woman. (what would probably happen in UK) and an unwillingness to cause a scene.
But it's not unique to Japan. It Italy women are likely to have their bottoms pinched and it happens in Paris as well. And the statistics for assaults reported in the UK is pretty appalling, women might be safe from being grouped on a train but not necessarily safe walking down a street alone at night.


There's also the flip side to the situation where a couple ran a scam to accuse men of groping the girl to shake him down for several tens of thousand yen.

And there's the situation of false accusations, or mistaken accusations. I don't think you ever want to get caught up in the Japanese justice system. So much so apparently there's a call for men only carriages that so far has been ignored by the train companies.

from Weekly Playboy on the Wai Wai column of Mainichi Shinbun
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/culture/waiwai/n ... 2000c.html
(a slightly salacious column, harmless, but might not be safe for work given the source materials)

[untmdsprt]

Of all the trains I've been on, the men have kept their hands occupied with either a cell phone, newspaper, book, or held on to the straps with both hands. Of course they've glanced at women on the train. Guess they're getting smarter!!