Gropers on trains dealt another blow
 

Gropers on trains dealt another blow

OSAKA -- Hankyu Corp. and Keihan Electric Railway Co. began operating female-only train cars Tuesday to curb incidents of groping during rush hours, the carriers said.
Hankyu placed a female-only car near the middle of each of its limited express trains on the Kyoto Line between Umeda and Kawaramachi stations on weekdays for the whole day.

Keihan designated the last car on each of its eight limited express trains as being for women on weekday mornings between Demachiyanagi and Temmabashi stations in the direction of Osaka.

Hankyu is the first railway in Japan to offer female-only cars all day long. Other surface railways and subway lines have introduced the system for periods limited to the morning or late-night hours, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Both carriers will test the new arrangement for about two months and decide whether to continue after getting feedback and comments from passengers.

West Japan Railway Co., which began experimentally operating female-only cars during the morning rush hour on its Osaka Loop Line in July, made the system permanent from Tuesday.

Other railways providing women-only carriages include Tokyo's Keio Electric Railway Co. and Nagoya's Higashiyama subway line.

The Japan Times: Oct. 2, 2002
(C) All rights reserved

i applaud these companies for taking a stand on the issue, but the saddest thing about the whole situation is that some japanese men can't simply grow the hell up and save everyone the pain, embarrassment, time, and cost.

Jeff.

I am NOT that impressed with what those Companies are doing, usual Japanese half-measures.

A lot of those "Women only" cars are not on every train and often restricted to off-peak times or on late-night trains only.
This was also mentioned in the Article.

In japan the one that has the worst Groper infestation is Tokyo Saikyo line, and no women only cars there or planned.
Unless JR gets in on that act it won't make a major difference.

Plus, it will just shift the problem to another area/time zone.

Like I said half-measures.

Cheers.

Originally posted by red_fists
>> I am NOT that impressed with what those Companies are doing, usual Japanese half-measures. <<

oh, i didn't say that i was impressed, Peter, only that i support their course of action. until such time as japanese in general and japanese men in particular become less "gigglingly puerile" (borrowing from one of Robert's newspaper posts) about sex, there don't seem to be any other obvious solutions. you can increase police or security staff presence during the booze-soaked late-night runs, but how can security be available and aware on a packed rush hour train?

on the other hand, i agree with you completely that, for the system to have a real impact, it would need to be introduced more broadly, both in terms of running times and geographic coverage. the other encouraging trend is the drop in groped women's reluctance to speak up and report incidents, as well as a greater public acceptance of this self-defensive behaviour.

of course, i've also read some (mildly alarmist?) articles on the plight of men who are wrongly accused of this form of sexual assault, resulting in a nasty little blackmail situation with the police: pay us the fine or stay in jail. naturally, the police would be all too happy to let you inform your employer why you can't get to work today.;)

Jeff.

There are two Parties to be blamed for those gropings.
1.) The Guys that do it.
And I know that some are workers for the very same transport companies.
2.) The ladies that still think it is wrong to speak up or say anything.

The latter is starting to change, but very slow.

Seen quiet a few ladies fighting back or slapping the Gropers, but that is usually all that happens.

Liked the one that recorded the groping on her Cel-Camera and than grabbed the Guy and took him to the Cops.

Also heard a few fun things that ladies use to "punish" a groper.Like the Pin cushion to the thigh/soft area or back of hand and so on.

Cheers.

The "women only train" idea was actually borrowed from Korea where they must have the same problem.
Putting more Cops on the beat won't do much as they can't be everywhere and they are usually undercover so you wouldn't know one if they were standing next to you.

I think one solution to at least decrease such behavior, as I doubt it will go away entirely, is more public assistance to the victims at the time it is happening. I have seen and heard women (some women say something to the guy like "yamete") being groped on the Tokkaido Line on more than a few occasion and I don't even ride the train that much!
On the occasions I saw the act in progress and could actually do something I did.

I thought it was an re-activation of an old custom when women and men were separated on japanese Trains.

But could be wrong there, memory is getting hazy with old age and lack of Beer to boost it.

Cheers.

That's true they did have seperate trains long ago but the use of them to curb "gropers" was first used in Korea.

Originally posted by red_fists

I thought it was an re-activation of an old custom when women and men were separated on japanese Trains.
........

Hope travellers don't start leaving shoes on the platform again!

Hyakutake Colin