After Delhi Gang Rape, Female Cab Drivers For Female Passengers Increases In Popularity

Same-sex taxis in India gain favor.

In the aftermath of the Delhi, India, gang rape, a women-passengers-only cab service operated by female drivers has apparently become an important component of personal security.

On December 16, in a story that made international headlines, a 23-year-old woman was brutally gang raped by six men on a Delhi buss. She later died as a result of her injuries.

This tragedy prompted close scrutiny of the pervasive harassment of all kinds faced by women in the Delhi area.

It has recently been revealed that an 11-year-old girl was gang raped in the state of Rajasthan.

One venture that helps addresses the violent threats to females is a taxi service that only serves women passengers and with females behind the wheel.

One of the drivers spoke to Public Radio International:

“Driver Shanti Sharma, 31, says the popularity of their service has spiked since the gang rape in December.

” ‘After this case, our work load has increased so much,’ she said. ‘Women who used other cab services are also turning to us now.’

“… ‘ When I’m on the road driving our cab, I feel very proud, because this is a cab service for women, and I’m a woman,’ she said. ‘Our work is supporting the women of Delhi. We’re giving them safety.’ “

Beyond the issue of personal security, the women-only cabs give the drivers an opportunity to make a living on par with men’s earnings.

Even if justified, a service of this nature would be difficult to launch in the US because the company would find itself slapped immediately with a discrimination lawsuit.

Watch videos about the Delhi cab service run by women and for women:

[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/mnQDAy0O9XI?rel=0? width=”420? height=”315?]