This letter refers to the article "Teasing tourists" (#90) written by Patricia Lustig. I am not sure that all the examples of sexual harassment mentioned in your article really belong to that category. But the photo shows that some tourists don't pay much attention to the cultural values of this country: sitting along the road in this posture might provoke some men to just a little bit more than trying to sell a flute...

Antoinette Schuler
Dhobighat

- Nepali women are finally breaking out of the confines of the four walls of their homes, only to suffer harassment at the workplace. I hope women start speaking out more. Keeping quiet will only encourage the criminals.

Dr Arati Thapa Hamal
UK

- A good look at the photo accompanying the article "Teasing tourists" can explain a lot about the problem:
1. Unheeded warning. Read any good guidebook on Nepal and the female tourist is cautioned against travelling alone or without a male companion.
2. Dress code. Again, travellers are advised to observe a decent dress code.
3. Adverse image-sex tourism (soft to hard) has come to Nepal. News of western men and women exploiting even minors are not rare. For the soft side, just read any message board in Thamel or the Internet and you will be aware of the demands (both implicit and explicit) for trekking guides of the opposite sex.
4. Opposites attract. The attraction for the opposite images is eternal. A Nepali man is trusting, simple and helping, attributes now rare in the west. A western girl is rich, independent and "fair" game. Besides, in these 20 years of tourism, we have deepened our mutual acquaintance. Nepali men are normally shy but some refuse to take a "no" for an answer from a western girl. Surely, as Ms Lustig suggests, the media should start an overall awareness campaign. At the same time, tourists should be more aware of Nepali culture, tradition, psychology, travelling manners and above all, trekking norms.

Kumar R Shrestha
Munich

- Patricia Lustig sounds like yet another westerner who likes to generalise. I am not defending the harassers, but this sort of thing happens all over the world, Nepal being no exception. Sexual harassment at the workplace is an everyday phenomenon in the western world. Tailhook is not the name of a Nepali town. It is the name of a place where "civilised" American sailors fondled a bunch of young women. Most female tourists who complain about harassment don't seem to give a hoot about our customs. Take a walk in Thamel. The bra-less young female tourist in ultra small shorts and transparent top, walking around, jiggling her mammaries, is most likely the one who is getting the cat calls. The same thing would happen if she was walking on the streets of Boston. I guess it would be more "acceptable" to Lustig if a white guy was harassing these female tourists. How dare these dark skinned natives?

Anis Bania
Boston