Job Discussion Forums

[kosherpickle]

I have a bit of an odd question.
To those of you currently liviing in Mexico City do you think that attractive foreign women(foreign meaning from the US) have a lot of problems with public transportation in regards to sexual harassment?
More so than the native women?

I ask because I am having a bit of a time convincing my boyfriend that I will be ok on my own, once I learn how to of course, with public transportation. He seems to think that I will have more problems with it than other women would.
This is a problem because I still need to be able to get around on my own and work and such and I would really prefer not to be held back by whether or not where I need to be is in walking distance. I don't know if this is just his personal bias or if it is something I honeslty need to worry about.
So far I have had no problems when I go walking anywhere by myself, but I have yet to use any public transportation on my own so I really don't know the deal and I would like the opinions of others on the matter.

[thelmadatter]

Go use the buses and Metro.... in general you will have no problems. Is there a change someone might grab a feel??? sure but I know guys, even Mexican guys who got groped once or twice by a woman!

Common sense is the name of the game. That and being aware of your surroundings... the same things that help with not being robbed. There are, of course, no guarantees... but cest la vie.

During rush hour.. women (and small children) have waiting areas and subways cars set apart for them, another way to avoid the hassle your bf seems to be so concerned about.

BTW... is your bf here in DF?

[lisa1968]

Modesty is next to what...... cleanliness, godliness? :wink:

[kosherpickle]

[Phil_K]

The usual advice with taxis is to use "Sitios" or radio taxis. Obviously this is no guarantee as the drivers are human too, but generally regarded as safer. Don't carry ATM cards or large amounts of cash, and look confident!!!
If you have to use regular taxis, make sure the registration is in the form:
L123456 (the "L" is always the same... the numbers vary)

or

S123456

Taxis with the regular reg of 123 ABC are probably pirates.

[kosherpickle]

So far the things mentioned here I have managed to find out from the internet on my own and mention to him, but he is still...skeptical that I would not have problems with other men, I guess.
I am really just wondering about actual experiences any women or boyfriends/husbands/brothers/friends have had or know about, beyond tips for general safety, or if my being sexually harassed is really not any more of a worry than it would be anywhere else(outside of the very bad parts of places).

[samizinha]

People will probably stare at you, surprised that you are riding public transit. I�ve got blonde hair and green eyes. I�ve gone out in everything from sweat pants to super fresa clothing before clubbing, and nobody has so much as said a word to me, let alone gabbed or harassed- on the street yes, transit no.
Taxis haven�t been a problem either, but I only take radio/sitio cabs and will stay over at a friends before I take them home really late at night.
My Mexican friends are shocked that I would take transit, but I think the so called dangers and problems are perpetuated by people who have never gotten on it themselves. Most people on the busses and subways are sleeping, so get on and get out there!

[kosherpickle]

Have you always been a blonde while living there or have you ever been darker? And if so did you notice any difference in attention? I am also a bblonde, though with dark eyes, and I've been seriously considering dying my hair dark lately just to minimize any chance of attention towards me. But I prefer being blonde:(



And as a disclaimer, I am not trying to toot my own horn regarding my looks or anything, this isn't even something I would considered worth worrying about if my boyfriend didn't seem so sure I am going to have such a terrible problem. It is just one of the steps I am trying to take to try and convince him otherwise.

[samizinha]

I dyed my hair blonder here, it�s light blonde now. I get a few more people randomly yelling out G�ERITA, and a few more offers for dates, but other than that, no, not much more attention. I would never consider dying it a certain colour because of �harassment�, I just love playing with it.
It�s nice that your boyfriend is worried for you, but the comments are just a part of Mexico, and you can ignore them and walk away, or laugh like crazy when you learn Spanish. I find that more compromising situations can come up when you�re in the company of people you know, than from random people on the street.
When I came here the first time, my Mexican host mom was terrified that I would be bothered or kidnapped on the public transit system and wanted to drive me everywhere. So, I got another friend to take the bus with me and show me how it worked. I went home and told the host mom that I had a great time and was perfectly safe. She stopped worrying so much after that. The same stratgey might ease your boyfriend�s fears as well.

[MELEE]

[Guy Courchesne]

Social class totally shapes opinion in this town...

Glad you got to your destination ok, Melee. Once you've lived here for a time, you get to learn the signs for what's a decent taxi and what's not. An older gentleman driver is often a good sign.

The metro at rush hour offers women-only cars...it's a good idea to take them.

[aroha]

I agree with you Guy about the social classes shaping the attitudes to public transport. People do glance at you if you are a guerita on public transport. But after a while you will find that you too are surprised to see another guerita on public transport!!!

People in Mexico City dress conservatively, so no one will hassle you as long as you aren't displaying too much flesh (although tight-as trousers and tops seem to be perfectly acceptable).

Be polite to people around you, and they will be polite to you and watch out for you. People in Mexico City always greet the driver when they get onto microbuses, and thank the driver when they get off. Sometimes men will even give up their seat to you!

Guy's advice about the women-only carriages on the metro is also very good. I found these in the first carriage and last carriage during rush hour. The only two times I got hassled on the metro I was in a packed rush hour train before I knew about the women's only carriages. The man's hand in the WRONG place, so I almost broke his arm and he had to run to escape my wrath!

[scottmx81]

The only two times I got hassled on the metro I was in a packed rush hour train before I knew about the women's only carriages. The man's hand in the WRONG place, so I almost broke his arm and he had to run to escape my wrath!

My rush hour experience on the metro is that it is practically impossible not to be touching another person. Everybody jammed in, people literally jamming others into the train cars at the stops. Hard to find a place to rest your hands where they aren't millimetres away from another person's hands (on the poles) or near their rear end etc (one hand on the poll, other hanging). The men's/mixed cars during busy times are probably not the best place for a woman worried about being accidently or intentionally touched.

[samizinha]

[J Sevigny]

I don't want to be the alarmist on this thread but the fact is, if being honked at while jogging in the States, England, or Canada gets you mad, living in Mexico will make you insane.

It's true that you can just ignore catcalls and whistles but more than one of my blonde female teacher friends here In GDL tells stories about being followed and having to run to a cop.

I'm not saying that every woman who gets whistled at is in danger -- of course not. But you never know when you're going to meet a truly dangerous freak. And men in Mexico, in this respect anyway, seem to be more aggressive than the stereotypical construction worker-types in the States.

Social class totally shapes opinion in this town...

I think this is true of everything in Mexico.