PANAJI
As if concerns around cholera and dengue outbreak weren’t enough, there’s a fresh advisory issued for travellers from Canada on women’s safety. The Canadian government, on September 13, issued a stark advisory flagging Goa besides Delhi, a hotspot for crimes against women, and urging its people to stay on high alert.
“Crimes committed against women frequently occur in India. Foreign women are often the target of unwanted attention. Staring, verbal abuse, groping, and other forms of sexual harassment can occur anywhere, including in tourist sites and areas. Attackers sometimes act as a group,” it stated, adding, “reports of rape and assault against foreign women have increased. You should be particularly vigilant: in Goa, in Delhi, on all forms of public transportation, at Yoga centres, ashrams and other places of spiritual retreats.”
Incidentally, Goa is also a destination for yoga and spiritual retreat centres often visited by foreign nationals.
The advisory also pointed to broader security risks in India, warning people to exercise “high degree of caution in India due to the threat of terrorist attacks throughout the country.”
