
It's definitely not as prevalent as the kind of places you mention up north (like Delhi), but that doesn't mean a girl can delude herself into thinking Bangalore is safe. It's not. Relative safety? Perhaps. Utopia? Not quite.
About why its relatively safer - could be attributed to the fact that its multicultural, or that most people are educated, that there is just a larger amount of general respect one shows for another in Bangalore. Or any of a million other reasons. Maybe an amalgamation of multiple reasons.
But what I find profoundly wrong and disturbing about your question is why it hasn't been framed the other way round. We're not comparing the subtle differences in the way someone scratches his ass up north or down south, or how most people eat using their hands here as opposed to silver cutlery in the west. Those are cultural differences. Whether or not you stare at girls is not.


Bangalore cannot be simply classified as South India firstly. It has such a huge population of people from so many different cultures that it is not just typically "South Indian". With so many kinds of people, languages, food habits and behaviour seen around, Bangalore in itself is a very accepting city, generally people do not make life difficult for outsiders there. Eve teasing is avoided for this simple reason- let everyone be, have respect for them and mind your own business. Throughout those two years, I never noticed even a single incident of lewd comments on the road, groping (yes, Delhi girls will know what I mean) or cat-calls and whistles. I did not lead a sheltered life, I was a working woman, traveled everyday in public transport and went out with friends. There is a general sense of respect for the women folk there, and it may be true that in that atmosphere, even pathetic (and well educated) North Indian men there have to tame ways and toe the line- it is just not done there. http://adf.ly/1mrplm

Having said that, it is not just the men who seem more well behaved there because of the atmosphere. Karnataka is on the conservative end of the spectrum, and even women there tend to adhere to social norms largely. Working girls understand well what kind of attire is acceptable around, and even though there will be (most likely) no lecherous comments, they respect the place they are living in. Women going to pubs and bars book cabs to avoid trouble late at night. http://adf.ly/1mrpoG

North India is less tolerant in general, most spoilt North Indians treat South Indians with disdain. The obsession with materialism and publicity of old family wealth in seemingly every possible way makes them look down upon the less fortunate. Note that I say "spoilt". There are several immensely cool people too of course. But the lack of tolerance is the sad truth. I belong to this region, they are supposed to be my people, and yet I will not refrain from saying that sometimes the behavior of my close ones saddens me. http://adf.ly/1mrppV
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