Feature: Mexico City hands out 15,000 whistles in bid to curb sexual harassment

Mexico City began this week to hand out about 15,000 whistles, mostly to women who ride the subway system, in a bid to cut down the incidence of sexual harassment.

The program, called "Live Safe," aims to make it easier for women to draw the attention of police when they become victims of harassment or fear they might be.

On Tuesday morning, the city set up stands at several underground stations to distribute the whistles, which have been met with mixed reactions and even derision from some who say the measure doesn't go far enough to protect women.

High school student Esperanza Sosa told Xinhua she found the whistles impractical, since they would be difficult to use when the trains were full, which presumably is when they would be most needed.

"I think the intention is good, but ... when you are riding in the car during rush hours, sometimes you can't even move your hands. Things sometimes happen very quickly, and sometimes the men pass very close to you," said Sosa.

The city subway system has for years provided segregated cars for women and children under 12 on especially busy lines, though only the first two, or last two, cars are reserved, so those who don't arrive in time have no choice but to ride in the other cars.

When Mexico City Mayor Miguel Angel Mancera first announced the Live Safe campaign in early June, many ridiculed the "anti-sexual harassment whistle" as a meaningless panacea.

Undeterred, Mancera said the negative comments had helped his campaign get wide media coverage, even abroad.

"I think (the criticism) made it much more powerful ... because everyone found out about it. It became known in Europe, it became known in the United States, it became known throughout the country," Mancera said.

However, he added, "we will have to see how effective it is, it has to be accompanied by police protocols."

Women who lined up for a whistle on Tuesday were asked to fill out a questionnaire and received, in turn, a whistle with a pamphlet that explains when to use it, and also has the telephone numbers of related city services, such as the sex crimes unit of the local attorney general's office.

"Blowing the whistle is the first step to asking for help," the city government said in a press release. "Afterwards, you can file a complaint, in the case of sexual harassment or abuse, and the perpetrator must be detained and taken to the specialized sex crimes unit of the attorney general's office."

The whistle, the city said, is just one of several measures designed to improve women's safety while in transit. Officials say they have also installed more surveillance cameras and panic buttons on buses and in other public areas.

"I think I feel a little safer" with a whistle, said Jimena Martinez, as she waited in line.

"Even though there are special cars for women, sometimes there's no space in there and you have to ride with men," she explained.

In April, a group of young women dressed in long black tunics (similar to the burqas worn in some Islamic countries) protested inside a subway station against sexual harassment, holding signs that said "the metro is public, my body is not." Enditem