I know in Japan there is an issue with the surging cases of 痴漢 (ちかん – *groping, molestation*) it happens so frequently to the point of implementing 女性専用車両 (*Women only carridges*) as a contingency of this problem, however, it doesn’t deter potential gropers.
Another thing to note is that there is a lack of proper legal repercussions for this matter in Japan as most women remain silent and don’t speak up about it however the authorities utilize section 176 under the penal code known as 強制わいせつ (*Forced Indecency*) there are posters saying 痴漢は犯罪です (*Groping is a crime.*) again, doesn’t discourage the pervert.
In comparison, how often have British women faced “Chikan” – like incidents while aboard trains in the Tube or in the rest of Britain? What are the penalties if he is caught or called out for this in the UK?
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I’m not a woman, but most women I know who regularly use the tube will tell you of something similar happening to them on it at one time or another.
It’s hard to prove as usually the tube is packed so evidence from camera’s likely isn’t there. If caught, I would assume the the suspect could be charged with sexual assault, which potentially could carry a custodial sentence.
Absolutely an issue (I would guess on public transport around the world, to varying levels). TFL even have a recent poster campaign on board the tube that covers “touching” “catcalling” and other behaviours.
I’m not familiar with the Japanese term, but if it means taking advantage of the crush of busy commuter services to grope women, then yes I’ve experienced this. Although sometimes it can be hard to definitively say that it happened and you find yourself questioning yourself. And definitely not with enough certainty to somehow extricate yourself from the crush, go find a non-existent member of staff, and tackle this person who may or may not have been shoved into you or may or may not be a creep
Yes, it happens here as we have no shortage of disgusting men in our country either. It typically happens on extremely busy trains where they can make it seem like an accident – the chances of someone overtly groping a woman are fairly small. It’s probably unlikely that a woman would even bother reporting it as there’s typically very little evidence.
It’s not groping, but I got upskirted (someone took a picture up my skirt of my crotch area) on the stairs at a station a few years ago. I went to the BTP and they pulled the CCTV and said they’d keep an eye out for him and check against other reports of harassment and stuff.
Yes, it happened to me on the Tube in London during a commute home.
Reported it, gave a statement, it was investigated but they couldn’t pin down the guy on CCTV or his exit as it at Wembley station in the ramp up to a football match.
Case closed and guy got away with it.