Canada Advisory Terms Goa Unsafe For Women, State Police Denies Claim

PANAJI: A fresh travel advisory against Goa has once again put the spotlight on the safety of visitors, particularly at a time when the tourism season is inching closer.

The Canada government's advisory asks its citizens to exercise caution when travelling to certain regions in India, including the national capital Delhi and Goa. 

While the State government is yet to respond to the advisory, Goa Police's senior officer has denied any incident against foreign nationalities.

The officer, wishing to remain anonymous, said that Goa has not seen a single case against foreign nationalities this year. "Goa is safe for women," he added.

Advisory continues to criticize Goa police

The advisory on the other hand claims that crimes against women are unfortunately frequent in India, and foreign women can be susceptible to unwanted attention, such as staring, verbal abuse, groping, and various forms of sexual harassment.

“Attackers sometimes act as a group. Reports of rape and assault against foreign women have increased. You should be particularly vigilant: in Goa, in Delhi, on all forms of public transportation, at yoga centres, ashrams and other places of spiritual retreats,” it stated.