The rape and murder of a 23-year-old woman on a bus in Delhi in December stunned the world and led to mass protests.

Since then an all-female taxi service in the Indian capital has grown in popularity. Revenue has boomed by as much as 40 percent in recent months.

The woman behind the company says the idea was fairly simple.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) NAYANTARA JANARDHAN, CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER, SAKHA CONSULTING WINGS, SAYING:

"Because we realised that one way to stop violence in public spaces was to actually have more women out there."

So far, Sakha has nine drivers and plans to expand to 15 by next year.

All the drivers come from poor backgrounds and are given several months of training in self-defence and in speaking English. And they are taught how to drive on Delhi's chaotic roads.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) DRIVING STUDENT, AARUSHI MALIK, SAYING:

"All women who travel alone, for them the women drivers are safe because the gang rapes are incre