“You seem to have missed my point. It’s not about how much physical contact there is, it’s about the purpose and nature of the contact.”
And my point is the concept of Yehareig V’al Yaavor is based on a personal neheneh b’kiruv basar- not communal etiquette or societal norms. Remember, this is a life or death deoreisa, not derobanan.
“PUH-LEEZ. The halacha is that if a woman needs help (medical assistance, getting up after a fall, etc.), then it’s OK to touch her, while being careful not to have inappropriate thoughts ”
Why can one be careful not to have inappropriate thoughts while picking a woman up out of an ocean, but not a handshake?
Actually, Yehareig V’al Yaavor would dictate that if you know you couldn’t control yourself after the initial neheneh b’kiruv basar, you would not be allowed to save her and must let her drown.