Women Not Safe On Our Streets

[Hymie]

I first experienced this at around the age of 14, at the time I regularly hung out around my best friend’s house. His mother started a late shift job at a local hospital; she asked her son and me to walk with her to the hospital, it was probably less than a mile through well lit streets. My friend’s mother clearly did not want to walk alone during the hours of darkness. I remember thinking to myself that she did not have anything to worry about as a woman walking alone at night, and did not need a chaperon (but I was wrong).

Later in life, a group of us used to regularly meet up in a pub, especially on Friday & Saturday nights. At chucking out time, it was not unusual for one of the young ladies in the group to ask if I would walk with them, knowing that my route home passed close to their home. On occasion, they might ask me to collect them on route to the pub, although I suspected this had more to do with them not wanting to be a woman sitting on their own in a pub.

But it is not just on our streets that women are concerned. A few years ago, I was working where there was a small number of staff working in an industrial unit. A repairman was due to arrive late in the afternoon to carry out some plumbing repairs – the female member of staff who was normally the last to leave expressed concern that she might be left alone with a strange man, and so arrangements were made to avoid this.

As a male I’ve never felt unsafe walking alone at anytime, day or night - and certainly would not worry about being alone at work with some unknown tradesman.
I’m not offering a solution to this problem, but maybe if all men appreciate the fear that women have (and how it restricts their lives) something might be done about it.

[jno]

I used to work late evenings. People drove to work as they had to go home after the tube closed, and parked in a dedicated carpark about 400 yards away. Women were always entitled to ask a security man to accompany them (though most simply went there with other women whose shift ended at the same time).

[Smowball]

I have to say I’ve never really been in the position of having to walk home alone and so have never really thought about it, but after recent events, news etc I certainly would not feel safe walking home alone late at night, or walking anywhere, or even when it’s just dark tbh even if it wasn’t late. Isnt it horrible that it’s come to that?

[tonyav]

Isnt it horrible that it’s come to that?

It is, Smow. Times have changed ( drastically imo ), to many freaks, perverts, muggers etc allowed to roam the streets these days I'm afraid.

[Smowball]

Hi Tony(& Jno) .the amount of times Ive needed say some milk or bread, and just want to walk to the local petrol station to get some, but I just darent. When you watch the news women are getting stopped practically on their doorsteps, and by men brazenly playing some act in some situations. It just doesn’t bear thinking about.

[Mamyalynne]

As Hymie says, it's awful but sadly not new - when I was in my late teens, doormen at clubs would offer to go back in and phone cabs for lone females.

Similar at pubs, locals known to you would offer to walk you home.

[Fairlight]

I have always been careful not to walk home late at night on my own and certainly not through an alleyway or a park. It`s sad but it is a fact of life that women have to be very aware. Men too at times!

[tonyav]

Men too at times!

Yep, there are a lot of crazies around.

[roopower]

One new year, many years ago, my boyfriend got so drunk I had to take him back to his flat and put him to bed. It was about two miles to my home, I had no money for a taxi, my mother didn't drive (and nor did I) so I set out to walk. Three times I was stopped by police asking if I was ok or needed help. I have to say, at that time in my relatively small town, I didn't feel unsafe. I wouldn't do it now.

[tiggerblue10]

If I go out at night which these days is very rare, I always get an Uber taxi. But even then, who is to say that the driver isn't dodgy.

[davebro]

Some years ago I had a job that entailed walking through deserted town centres late night/early morning.
I bought & read 2 books that give some good advice:
THE FENCE (The Art of Protection) and
3 SECOND FIGHTER (The Sniper Option)
Never encountered any trouble but you never know when...

[bhg481]

Back in the 1960s my girlfriend lived on a main road but out in the country; the bus stop and nearest house from hers was about 50 yards away. Whenever she was going home late her dad would wait at the gate when he knew which bus she was on. We eventually realised that there was a short gap between the last bus taking her home and the last bus passing her house back to town; then I used to take her home, wait at her gate until I saw the bus coming about a mile away and then leg it to the bus stop. Just sensible precautions.

[Sqad]

Most men have learned to respect women but some, probably more than you think, look upon them as sex issues which cannot be suppressed......not necessarily dangerous issues, but real.

First impressions of their figure, their clothes an imagination of their underwear and this is often exacerbated by women who dress accordingly......innocently or by design.

This significant minority will leave it at that but there are a subgroup who will go on to inappropriate and unwanted sexual acts.
This minority of men are devious and difficult to identify, could be your next door neighbour, your sisters boyfriend even your GP or hairdresser.

Women must become more "streetwise"...........and so should men.

[Hopkirk]

There will always be this tiny group of really dangerous men.

No amount of vigils, protests, changes of regulations etc will change that fact.

[bhg481]

Hopkirk - exactly and that's why women will always need to be cautious.

[rowanwitch]

I was told long ago the best defence is not to appear vulnerable, but like many women I make sure I now wear shoes I could run in, carry my keys in face rake mode, have a heavy handbag with sharp corners and try to walk purposefully rather than appearing nervous.

It is important to remember however that you are far more likely to be attacked if you are a young male, or obviously gay, or trans, you are more likely to be murdered if you are a young black male, statistically it is still safe to walk at night, as a woman you are far more likely to come to harm in your own home at the hands of a person you already know.

[tamborine]

When my daughter was clubbing & partying I drove her to the venues & collected her at 'throw out' time. Many times there were mini cabs waiting for the girls but untrust worthy imo. Sometimes dter would club in Leicester Sq & meet her friends from outskirts. I would drive her into LS & then park up in Hyde Park till collection time, to bring her home.

[tamborine]

Last weekend dter accompanied horsey friend into Windsor Gt Pk for a hack. There stood a brazen bloke blocking the bridle path & as the girls passed dters horse bucked at him. He shouted "f##### & blinds, control your horse" - hahaha