Living in Hong Kong

There are reports that more and more women have experienced indecent assault in the city. Indecent assault comes in many forms.

In the train
The MTR is where many cases of indecent assault is bound to happen. In a crowded train it's difficult to track one indecent assault especially when people move from one station to another. Take a ride around 8:50am on any line and any destination, you'll see huge number of office-bound people rush into the trains that it doesn't matter if your face sits next to someone's neck. To some, it's an unavoidable circumstance. But to retarded ones it's an opportunity to perform sexual assault in silent. Victims simply evade the culprits because they don't want things to escalate and end up in a police investigation. They simply don't want justice rule over reputation and good name.

James Yeung recalls his experience when a man tried to fondle a woman's body but got waylaid because James acted on it. Unfortunately, many of us men are not like James.

Trams
Trams are also places where assault may happen. Trams are often crowded even during off-peak hours. Existing seating arrangements don't do women a favor as to maximize space, there is high likelihood of bumping between passengers. Even when there's a "Don't be a Silent Victim. Report Sexual Assault to 999" stickers posted on the tram, women victims choose to keep silent, thereby encouraging the criminals to continue their lascivious act.

Elsewhere
This offense happense almost everywhere. My wife complained that she sometimes get bumped by elderly men on separate occasions in Wan Chai market and in a Kwun Tong shopping arcade. Streets, malls, you name it, horny people are everywhere.

Why it's hard to stop this
* Most victims are unwilling to disclose the offense
* Culprits can easily claim the physical contact was an an accident and unavoidable

What can be done
If only train frequencies get even more frequent but still it can't cope up with rush hour passengers. Maybe trams will be less crowded if they travel in right intervals. Police visibility helps a lot.

Photo credit: a*c