Japanese Women Get Subway Gropers to Back-Off With Mobile Phones

[saikira]

In Tokyo, there were 1,853 men arrested for groping women on subways in 2005 alone...

Did you just grope me? Shall we head to the police? That's the message women are flashing on their cell phones with a popular program designed to ward off wandering hands in Japan's congested commuter trains.

Although "Anti-Groping Appli" was released in late 2005 by games developer Takahashi, it has only recently climbed up popularity rankings, reaching No. 7 in this week's top 10 list of cell phone applications, compiled by Web-based publisher Spicy Soft Corp.

The application flashes increasingly threatening messages in bold print on the phone's screen, which the person groped can show to the offender: "Excuse me, did you just grope me?" "Groping is a crime," and finally, "Shall we head to the police?"

Users press an "Anger" icon in the program to progress to the next threat. A warning chime accompanies the messages.

The application, which can be downloaded for free on Web-enabled phones, is for women who want to scare away perverts with minimum hassle and without attracting attention, according to Takahashi's Web site.

"I first downloaded this as a joke," Spicy Soft official Michika Izumi said. "But I think it could be a lifesaver if I get groped."

Izumi said more users appeared to have recently discovered Takahashi's "Anti-Groping Appli" because of a series of new applications unveiled by the creator this year, including a popular number game, horoscope and blogging program.

According to Tokyo Metropolitan Police, 1,853 people were arrested for groping passengers on trains in Tokyo in 2005. Experts say harassment may be more widespread, but women are often too embarrassed to report it.

Source: Yahoo
Pic from Tokyomango

[blackrabbit2999]

uh... thats just lame =S
just put a knee in his nuts already

[Tikal]

co-sign, they should make noise and get the perverts locked up.

[asay]

Lol, this may sound like a stupid solution to most westerners but in japan its really a good solution.......

I mean in japan most criminals dont wait for the police to investigate/arrest them, rather the criminals would basically hand themselves into police and confess all their dealing without hesitation.

Hell theres been times in tokyo where I've left my phone in a restaurant and the waitress would chase me down the street just to give it to me(happened twice).

If other countries were to adopt an equivalent solution... the closet one would be arming women with 12gauge shot guns and a license to kill without remorse or repercussions.

[Yochoko]

Uh... the morning train or the evening train during the rush hour, there really isn't place to level up your knees to kick the nuts of those pervs. You can't even turn around. You are in one pozition and you'll remain like that till the train stops and people get out. If more people are coming in, then... you'll still stay that way. The only thing you can move is probably your hands. This is why the pervs profit that situation. >.< And, yeah. Japanese women/girls are not courageous enough to even speak up to say "Get off your hand from my ass!" Sadly... ;__;

[Zerobde]

That's kinda sad that there's pretty much nothing women/girls can do other than flash a message. The women here in the states will definitely let you know how they feel if they're groped. I didn't think groping was serious like that... 1853, wow!