Less than a week has passed since I wrote the post “Are Women Safe In Bangalore?” and I have an update!

Honestly, I have pretty much stayed on my high-horse and continued breaking the rules that every single one of my friends, colleagues, and wonderful people who have commented on the post about safety have told me. I didn’t want to be limited to running around my new city on foot only during the daylight hours. Seriously, this has now become my least favourite thing about Bangalore … so I keep trying to push the boundaries.

Well, tonight I had my first taste of the consequences of being a rebel “after dark” pedestrian. Unfortunately, I waited until dusk to head out to buy my copy of DNA (I really need to subscribe!). In theory I was only going two blocks to the little closet-sized news stand around the corner, so I had plenty of time to go there and come back to the flat long before sunset.

Sadly my little neighbourhood news stand was shut and since today my driver wasn’t here because I didn’t think I’d need him, I decided to just walk the six or seven blocks down the cross street – away from the high street – to the other news stand I frequent.

The Incident

I had my Blackberry on me so I was happily distracted catching up with my lovely friend Peter back in Spain on Whatsapp…when all of a sudden, I felt it. A small hand squeezing my right butt cheek! WTF? I had just been groped for the first time in India! UrbanDictionary.com describes a Groper as: 1. someone who tries to sneak sexual touching while the other person is unaware. 2. takes advantage of people who are passed out 3. a pervert Well, both 1 and 3 work just fine for my story.

I stopped dead in my tracks, turned and said “Are you serious?” I’m not sure why those were my magic words but can’t change it now. This scrappy, short guy who looked like he’d been throwing back a few beers up the road had the nerve to look at me with an innocent, blank stare and a big “what” nod. What an ass!

So I backed up a step, because he had stopped just in front of me, and I now expected him to step aside. But the guy wasn’t quite done playing with me yet it seems. I moved to the right and off the road, stepping up onto the sidewalk but he was right behind me so I stopped and moved back to the street.

And yes, he followed me there too.

My Saviours

Two badass ladies and a really nice gentleman both were apparently watching what was going on, walked over straight away, and started yelling at the idiot in local language, Kannada. The women looked like they could have gone Ninja Turtle on him and really taken this guy down, too. Gotta love how little patience they have this sort of behaviour.

I looked at the three saviours, put the palms of my hands together in front of my chest, and bent forward in thanks. They used hand signals to tell me to carry on so I backed out of the situation and high-tailed it home.

Of course, this was not a dangerous situation and I am NOT trying to exaggerate it into one. There were tons of people walking around the streets because it was only 7pm and I was on a busy’ish cross street. BUT had it been later, had there been fewer people around, and had there been a few guys and not just one idiot, I would have been pretty scared.

New Rules in India

I am publicly declaring that I WAS WRONG to try to continue to live my life as if I am still living in a small, peaceful village in Spain. I am going to follow the rules from now on.

My friends, colleagues and my fellow bloggers have told me time and again how to behave to maintain “harmony” with the system. Yet I kept doing what I pleased, and basically tried to prove them wrong. But, tonight’s little moment has worked its magic and made me realise that I really should not head out on my own, unaccompanied, after dark.

Yes, everyone was right and I give in. No more treks out by myself without having one of my guy friends with me. I am not happy about this, especially since it turns dark SO EARLY here in Bangalore 🙁

I have told two mates about this little incident and so far BOTH asked me the exact same first question: “Did you slap him?” Uhhh, no! But maybe next time!!