So I have a theory on why women feel unsafe in short skirts!

[PosieParker]

I think if you walk home at night in 'sexy' attire you are more likely to be a victim of casual abuse, wolf whistled, shouted at, etc. Therefore you feel unsafe and the ultimate in 'unsafe' is rape.

[piprabbit]

Maybe it has something to do with the shoes too - I can run in a short skirt, but I can't run in high heels so I feel a bit more vulnerable in heels as I'm less able to look after myself.

[PosieParker]

Yes, maybe. I always think really high heels are a good weapon!!

[LRDtheFeministDragon]

I don't feel unsafe in a short skirt.

[BertieBotts]

Um, women feel unsafe in short skirts because society tells them they have reason to.

It's not an inherent thing though as LRD says.

[AnyaKnowIt]

I don't think that an item of clothing makes me feel unsafe

[InSPsFanjoNoOneHearsYouScream]

A short skirt wouldn't make me feel unsafe but fanjo would freeze!

[InNeedOfBrandy]

I don't feel unsafe in a short skirt, in fact I wear skirts pencil to short a lot of the time.

[ArbitraryUsername]

I have a short skirt on now. I feel perfectly safe.

[ArbitraryUsername]

InSPsFanjo: that's what thermal tights are for. I was in asda today and I noticed they sell fleece lined tights.

[InSPsFanjoNoOneHearsYouScream]

What's the point in a skirt if my fanjo doesn't get to breathe

[SufferingLampreys]

I don't feel unsafe in a short skirt
I do feel ridiculous rhough

[CoteDAzur]

I've never felt unsafe in a short skirt & never heard of anyone who does.

Aside from OP, does anyone feel unsafe in a short skirt?

[PosieParker]

Erm I never wear short skirts.

But I have a number of friends who say that they feel okay about walking home late at night if they're wearing trousers/flat shoes and not 'going out' clothes.

[PosieParker]

Cote perhaps you cannot really comment about how women feel in the UK as you've never lived here.

[Sunnywithachanceofshowers]

I've never felt unsafe in a short skirt and I do live in the UK.

I got shouted and wolf whistled at in my winter coat.

[ArbitraryUsername]

I have no problem walking around at night with a short skirt on. I wasn't aware I should feel unsafe.

Things like the situation or area might make me feel unsafe, but not what I'm wearing.

[InNeedOfBrandy]

Stealth boast there sunny

[Sunnywithachanceofshowers]

I wish! :D

It was about 10 years ago and I was fucking terrified by the bloke who was shouting about my tits. I was covered up from head to toe.

[MooncupGoddess]

I've never felt scared or unsafe while wearing a short skirt. I would feel unsafe in high heels, but I don't wear them (mostly because they're too uncomfortable and I can't run for the bus, but the safety thing is a secondary consideration).

[CoteDAzur]

Read your thread, Posie. Do you really feel like you know how women feel about short skirts in the Uk?

[FastidiaBlueberry]

I don't think that I have been whistled at more when I wear a short skirt or "sexy" attire than I wear normal clothes. I get more casual abuse if I'm riding my bike or running, than if I'm tarted up in party clothes.

Women feel unsafe because men threaten them. Simples.

[MooncupGoddess]

That is just awful, SGM.

[LynetteScavo]

I never felt unsafe wearing short skirts, but I was young and fit and only wore them with converse or Dr Martens.

I've never been a victim of casual abuse because I was wearing a short skirt, apart from one time when I was wearing a mini-skirt and DMs and a club bouncer checked out my legs and offered me a lift home. But I think that would have happened even if I were wearing jeans.

I think long lucious hair will attract as much unwated attention as short skirts.

IME, worldwide, wearing lipstick will get you the biggest amount of abuse from men. There must be some secret code that in manycountries the only women who wear lipstick are prostitutes or something. But I wouldn't say I feel unsafe wearing lipstick. Not in the UK, anyway.

[PosieParker]

I'm impressed but perhaps people who frequent this board are more likely to understand that there is no link, perhaps I just seem to associate with a number of women who believe rape myths. It's the discussions surrounding rape (or the West Mercia's posters) that have dragged up, I'm alright walking home as long as I'm not dressed tarty, or I'm alright walking home if I have flats on etc. I wondered if the rape myth about slutty dress leads to rape was because women are more likely to be catcalled.

Seems as if women I know, not myself as I a)never walk home at night and b)I don't wear revealing clothes, are exceptional. But if that were the case then why do we even discuss "she 's asking for it?" type rape myth.