A couple of the comments here really are the very last word in insensitivity. You are just trying to enjoy your traveling, but that enjoyment is being fucked up by a lot of disturbing comments and the implied threats they contain. That by itself is ruining your time even in the absence of physical assault. The closest thing to that I ever experienced was when I was much younger and I would hear, “woo, young boy!” or the like called out to me. But it was rare. Yes, we may have been mugged or even sexually assaulted* but I rode and ride crowded subways etc without a second thought. I can avoid dark alleys but sometimes you just have to ride the subway or whatever. Or walk down a busy pedestrian street even. So for Chrissake guys just listen and take it in and consider how fucked up it would be.

*Yes on both counts for me BTW.