TEGUCIGALPA – The Tegucigalpa Mayor’s Office this month will open two urban bus routes exclusively for women to guarantee them greater security, a local government official announced.
The idea is to provide security for women who use the city’s urban transport service, since they are frequently the victims of assaults and robberies by common criminals, the official said.
The buses will be painted pink and inside a female cop will ride to provide protection, according to authorities in the capital.
The mayor’s project is backed by several women’s groups, although critics called it another form of discrimination and believe that women will now be even more at risk because criminals will take advantage of the absence of men on the buses to attack them.
Others have objected that they won’t be able to travel with their boyfriend or husband on the pink buses, by order of the mayor’s office.
The pilot project will begin with two buses and if the results are satisfactory, the number of routes and buses will be increased, the official said.