The US State Department has issued a new travel advisory for India, particularly urging female travelers to avoid traveling to India alone as rape and assault cases increase in India.
“Rape is one of the fastest growing crimes in India. Violent crimes, including sexual assault, happen at tourist sites and other locations. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They target tourist locations, transportation hubs, markets/shopping malls, government facilities,” the advisory said.
“The US government has limited ability to provide emergency services to US citizens in rural areas. These areas stretch from eastern Maharashtra and northern Telangana through western West Bengal. Due to risks, US government employees working in India must obtain special authorization to travel to these states,” the advisory said.
“Do not travel alone, if you are a woman,” warned the State Department advisory.
History of assaults against women in India
Assaults against women in India have become epidemic, with foreign women being more often targeted in recent years.
In March 2025, an Israeli woman and her local friend were gang-raped near a popular Unesco World Heritage site in southern India.
In March 2024, a 28-year-old Spanish-Brazilian tourist was gang-raped by seven men in Dumka, Jharkhand, while camping with her husband.
In 2022, a British tourist was raped in front of her partner in Goa and in 2023, another woman was raped in a hotel in New Delhi.
In 2021, a total of 428,278 cases of crimes against women were registered, including rape, kidnapping, domestic violence, dowry deaths, and acid attacks. This translates to 49 offenses per hour.
It must be highlighted that most rapes and assaults go unreported due to fear of reprisal, victim-blaming, and lack of trust in police.
