The Exoticization of Foreigners: Why Are Tourists Feeling Unsafe in India?

Posted On: 2025-04-04 12:13:35

In the grand narrative of global tourism, India has long been romanticized as a land of cultural richness, spiritual awakening, and unparalleled hospitality. However, a disturbing pattern has emerged alongside this narrative: the persistent vulnerability of foreign tourists, particularly women, to sexual violence. The recent case of a German woman allegedly raped by a car driver in Hyderabad is not an isolated incident but part of a broader phenomenon that warrants critical examination. What factors contribute to this troubling reality, and why does the fetishization of foreign women often culminate in acts of violence?

The commodification of the foreign body has historical roots in colonial-era exoticism, where the "white" or "Western" woman was often cast as an object of desire and unattainable beauty. Over time, this perception has mutated into a dangerous fantasy—one that associates foreign women with sexual permissiveness and availability. This misconception is reinforced by media portrayals, where Western cultures are often depicted as more sexually liberal than their Indian counterparts. Consequently, this distorted perception engenders a toxic entitlement among certain segments of society, who see foreign women as fair game for predatory behavior.

Moreover, the intersection of race, gender, and socio-economic power dynamics exacerbates the issue. Foreign women, especially those traveling alone, are often perceived as privileged outsiders, making them both hyper-visible and, paradoxically, lacking protection. Unlike local women, who may have familial or community networks to deter perpetrators, foreign women are seen as transient figures with little recourse to justice. This vulnerability is exploited by those who seek to exert dominance or fulfill distorted fantasies.

Another contributing factor is the relative impunity surrounding sexual crimes in India. While the 2012 Nirbhaya case led to stringent legal reforms, the implementation remains inconsistent, and survivors, both local and foreign, continue to face systemic hurdles in securing justice. The burden of proof, victim-blaming attitudes, and an often-languid judicial process deter many from pursuing legal recourse. Furthermore, in the case of foreign victims, linguistic barriers, bureaucratic complexities, and the potential for diplomatic intervention further complicate the process.

From a philosophical standpoint, the fetishization of foreign women can be understood through the lens of the "othering" phenomenon described by theorists like Edward Said and Simone de Beauvoir. The foreign woman is simultaneously desired and dehumanized—placed on a pedestal yet stripped of agency. This paradox creates a scenario where admiration morphs into possession, and fascination into violation.

As Simone de Beauvoir aptly stated:

“The category of Other is as original as consciousness itself. The duality between Self and Other can be found in the most primitive societies, in the most ancient mythologies; the division did not always fall into the category of the division of the sexes (...) No group ever defines itself as One without immediately setting up the Other opposite itself. It only takes three travelers brought together by chance in the same train compartment for the rest of the travellers to become vaguely hostile 'others'. Village people view anyone not belonging to the village as suspicious 'others'. For the native of a country, inhabitants of other countries are viewed as 'foreigners'; Jews are the 'others' for anti-Semites, blacks for racist Americans, indigenous people for colonists, proletarians for the propertied classes.” (Goodreads)

De Beauvoir’s idea of Othering is crucial to understanding why foreign women are fetishized—and often targeted—in places like India. In India, Western women are often treated as hypersexualized, liberated, and available—these stereotypes stem from a colonial gaze that has long positioned the West as progressive and the East as conservative. The foreign woman becomes the Other in a deeply gendered way: desirable, but also vulnerable.

Just as de Beauvoir notes that “foreigners” are often viewed with suspicion, foreign women can also be seen as outsiders who do not conform to local social norms. This duality—of being both desired and resented—creates a dangerous space where fascination can turn into entitlement, aggression, or even violence.

In colonial times, European women in India were seen as untouchable symbols of racial purity, while Indian women were often hypersexualized by the British. Today, a reversal happens: Indian men may now perceive white women as sexually available in ways that Indian women are not, feeding into a toxic, racialized stereotype.

Similarly, Edward Said elaborated:

"Orientalism can be discussed and analyzed as the corporate institution for dealing with the Orient—dealing with it by making statements about it, authorizing views of it, describing it, by teaching it, settling it, ruling over it: in short, Orientalism as a Western style for dominating, restructuring, and having authority over the Orient." (Quotesanity)

Just as the Orient was defined by the West rather than by its own people, foreign women in India are often viewed through an externally imposed lens—one shaped by exoticism, desire, and a colonial legacy of racial hierarchy. The perception that Western women are “more available” or “less bound by cultural norms” is an extension of Orientalist narratives, where the West is depicted as progressive and sexually liberated, while the East is seen as traditional and repressed. This imposed perception leads to entitlement and objectification, sometimes resulting in violence, as seen in cases like the recent assault on the German woman in Hyderabad.

These perspectives shed light on how foreign women are often exoticized and rendered powerless through cultural narratives that objectify and mystify them.

Addressing this crisis requires a multipronged approach. A societal shift is necessary—one that dismantles myths about foreign women, challenges entitlement culture, and fosters a more egalitarian understanding of gender and race. Educational interventions, responsible media representation, and awareness campaigns should work in tandem with legal reforms to create a safer environment for all women, regardless of nationality.

India's rich cultural ethos is founded on the principles of "Atithi Devo Bhava"—the guest is akin to god. If this ethos is to hold any meaning in contemporary times, then it must extend beyond ceremonial platitudes and translate into genuine safety, respect, and protection for all visitors. Until then, the paradox of a nation that welcomes yet fails to safeguard its guests will remain an enduring stain on its global image.

AUTHOR: Adil Sayyad