Crime-jacked Goa?

* The United States has a rape rate 13 times higher than Great Britain (UK), nearly 4 times higher than Germany, and more than 20 times higher than Japan.

• The biennial British Crime Survey (BCS), which asks a representative sample of 16,500 adults in England and Wales directly about their experiences of crime – whether or not it was reported to the police – says that 43 per cent of all violent crime experienced by women in UK is domestic. Of the 224 female homicide victims, 47 per cent were killed by partners.

• According to the latest 2002 recorded crime statistics compiled by 43 forces in England and Wales, violent crime is up by 11 per cent. Robbery is up by 28 per cent. Murders are up by 4 per cent. Rapes are up by 14 per cent.

There are also new types of crimes adding to the problem in the UK. Car-jackings (1,200 incidents alone in one year, mobile phone thefts (700,000 were stolen in Britain in the last 12 months, accounting for 40 per cent of violent crime). The other 40 per cent of crime happens on the streets of London in the form of mugging.

• Statistics compiled by the US Department of Criminal Justice, Senate Judiciary Committee and the FBI reports that every hour, 16 women confront rapists. A woman is raped every 4.5 minutes. 78 per cent of sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows. And then only 2 per cent of all sexual assaults result in the assailant (s) being convicted and imprisoned.

Gruesome enough to change your travel plans?

Now consider this against a recent local headline: `UK warns women against sexual assaults in Goa.’ My first reaction? `You’ve got to be kidding.’ Parrikar thinks so too. And a couple of local citizens who reacted with disbelief.

The real story? The official machinery says only 10 cases of sexual assault on foreign nationals have been reported in the State in the last 10 years. Three still pending trial.

Safe scenario, wouldn’t you say, as compared to the above blood lust? But hello, what have we as a pat on our back for letting the `goras’ live in our State peacefully? An offensive reputation of an international black list. I take it a step further and read between the lines what Britain is trying not so hard to say explicitly -- `Go to Goa for an experience of a lifetime. Get raped.’

Excuse me? But this truly gets my goat. Completely. But then, the Brits have always been a bunch of truly ludicrous people. They take their colonist’s hangover every which way they travel. They do their own thing in private and then wash their dirty linen in public (have you read John Major’s sexual peccadilloes revealed all in a kiss-and-tell memoir by Edwina Currie? Or the recent Princess Diana tell-all revealed by her personal Scottish Yard bodyguard).

For once, I totally agree with the counteractive backlash initiated by Manohar Parrikar to uphold Goa’s honour (and his government’s, I secretly think). And, he’s also got his crime statistics right. The official ones, that is. Right down to the court’s serpentine process in exercising the law of the land. Which is ten years to book a rapist? Give us a break.

Why am I bristling thus? Simple. I agree we’ve been getting a bad name for all the right reasons internationally – over spilling garbage, poor infrastructure, fleecing taxi drivers, bad roads, dirty beaches, boy hunting psychos, drug planting cops, the list is endless. But where’s the credit where it’s due? Goa, by far, is undoubtedly the only state in the country where women – local or phirangi – can conduct their own social lives and movements with a semblance of respect and safety. Let me also mention our State’s flexible dress code (even wearing jeans attracts me attention in Karnataka), safe nightlife and even safer hotels. Not to forget the number of British men and women in Goa who’ve adopted this paradise and run successful homes and careers. To blacklist Goa as `unsafe,’ especially for women travelers who holiday here, women who enjoy all that we have to offer (including our rave parties), explore and exploit (yes, that too) the cultural richness and its people’s goodwill, is like kicking our butts in the dark. For being nice, sossegado hosts. And that stinks.

But, hang on. I don’t say we’re the best in the world. For all our lassitude that equivocally gets glorified as the Goan way of life (even if people in Calcutta have scant respect for time or labour), including the existence of laws in the State which are seldom put into practice; our perennially falling governments that have made hell of the existing systems; politicians who only seek to milk the tourism cow to line their respective pockets, I strongly feel that Goa does not deserve this unfair branding. Absolutely not. Not when Britain commits far more horrendous crime on its own women.

I mean, check out the above facts for yourself and then compare them to Goa. The few sexual assaults that have been committed on foreign women, have occurred at isolated spots. I’ve yet to read of rapes/assaults occurred in Goa as a result of break-ins. Incidences like these are all too common in Britain, London, New York, Colombia or even Japan. And mind you, these too are all tourist destinations, and they do have mind-boggling crime stats. Yet, we get saddled with unfair treatment. Not fair.

However, unlike the popular adage – `When you can do nothing about rape, lie back and enjoy it’ (which I always thought was in bad taste), Parrikar is not lying back, thank you. Not only has his government done right in protesting, but we should ask the British Commission operating in Goa to invalidate the allegation with realistic facts. Or, shut shop and go home. If they still continue to risk their good offices (after all, we’ve been branded high on testosterone), let them not forget to stress that the perpetuators of these crimes have NOT been all Goan. Since we’re strictly talking sexual crimes here, I will try to hold my pen and refrain from quoting drug related crimes committed by British nationals – both men and women in Goa. I will refrain from mentioning crimes that involve British pedophiles living lives of `respectability’ in Goa, but secretly preying on our young boys. I will also refrain from talking about the underground drug and sex racket that involves British nationals.

So, yes, our taxi drivers could do with brisk lessons in manners and language training. Especially, when they quote their skyrocketing prices (to locals as well). Our cops could do with basic technical know-how in how not to falsely book a pot-smoking suspect, and how not to harass him/her for a `baksheesh.’ We could do with better internet facilities, just incase a tourist having a bad time in Goa wants to email saying he’s coming home (and he/she should go home). We don’t want phirangis who think Goa is one big lay. And then get raped and cry foul.

I don’t know about you, but I believe that extending hospitality and being a good host, does not translate into taking us for granted. These kind of tourists Goa could do without.

Ethel Da Costa
October  2, 2002

[TGF comment:  TGF wonders why it is that Goa Chief Minister raised cane about the British Travel Advisory which appeared on the FCO's homepage at http://www.fco.gov.uk

This what the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said on its web site as far as Goa is concerned "Do not walk alone in isolated spots in the popular tourist areas especially after dark. Visitors should respect local codes of dress and behaviour. There have been several recent incidents of sexual assault against women in Goa."

Nothing more......Nothing less.

TGF supports the FCO's decision to advise its citizens on safe travel.  A couple of years ago, the FCO issued a similar advisory to assist British Nationals traveling to South Florida.

That is the FCO's responsibility.

Earlier this year Ethel da Costa wrote thus about the harassment of women by goons who travel to Goa for all sorts of purposes:  " I am serious. Quiet recently, I have myself seen a car loaded with faltus, a few nights back, harassing female citizens on a relatively safe road (11.30 pm or so) on their way home after a night coffee. The car wore a AP registration plate, and its occupants in a highly intoxicated state. Not only were there snide remarks, but downright obscene behaviour too. And I am told, these gauntis have been doing the same road for sometime too" [ read  full Jan 12, 2002 article - Tourists ]

TGF agrees with Ethel da Costa.

One further point. Goa is either serious about tourism or it isn't. Many a tourism connected economy has learnt the perilous lesson  for  erroneously believing that their own place was the only Paradise and that Tourists had NO other place to go......... Yeah Right !!

TGF
October 5, 2002

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