[solistice]

I completely agree with you on China. I've had encounters which were completely harmless there, but could have taken a sour turn in Germany. Even the homeless are remarkably civil. There are certain areas you should stay out of as a tourist, but everywhere else seems almost laughably safe.

[hankcharles]

It is really amazing. Collectively, I have spent over two years in China, and have never been particularly cautious about what sort of situations I work my way into. Never once have I felt threatened or unsafe. It is what I admire most about the country.

[Tsagadai]

I'm going to assume that you are male. I can assure you China is pretty damn dangerous for women who go drinking and rape is also common. There is a lot of sexual harassment in the workplace which is typified by power imbalances (you need a job and your boss is a sleazebag). Just because you haven't personally seen it doesn't mean it isn't there.

[hankcharles]

It certainly can be dangerous, as can any country, and I consider myself lucky to not have had any problems, but I can't think of another country I have been in that felt safer to me. And more time there only verified that feeling. There is a certainly a strong chance I would feel otherwise if I was a woman.

[lovemenot]

Have you visited Japan? It has great civility and safety, applied to people of either gender and even to foreigners. At least to white ones like me. Japanese say the old order is breaking down in the cities, so I can only imagine how it once was. Yet it remains the most civil place I have seen.

[solistice]

But aren't there seperate gender subway wagons precisely because there were widespread problems with sexual harassment?

I'd find it intresting to get the view of someone who grew up in asia and is ethnically asian, because their view will proably be markedly different from ours. I mean I'm half chinese, but I have the benefit of being male and being a hunxuee'r which most likely changes how chinese people treat me.

[lovemenot]

Yes, there are such wagons for the reasons you state - though limited to rush hour (about 90 minutes per day) and one per train of fourteen wagons or so and, in Tokyo, only used on some lines. It does seem better here, but I am both male and European so not fully equipped to adjudge.