to be worried about my daughter's future safety in Europe as a young secular woman?

[rodriguez66]

I have a 6 year old daughter. I can't stop worrying about whether it will be safe for her in Europe in the future as a young woman after the sexual assaults all over Europe. I hate to think that she would not be able to enjoy the freedoms I take for granted as a woman and I do not want her to have to hide her femininity because some men cannot control themselves. I want her to be able to dress how she wants when she is older and be able to speak her mind without being scared. Is this completely irrational? My husband thinks I am worrying too much but obviously he is not a woman.

[srslylikeomg]

Oh please

[TweenageAngst]

Your Husband is right.

[originalmavis]

Safe as in Inter-railing around Europe when she's 17 or going to uni at 18 in Bristol?

[hiddenhome2]

She'll probably be okay, but I do expect to see women's rights eroded over the coming years. It'll be subtle at first, but then gain momentum.

[ghostyslovesheep]

yabu - sexual violence isn't a new invention

[HermioneWeasley]

YANBU. What happened in Cologne should be a wake up call. Sweden has reported a huge spike in sexual assaults and the chief of police in Finland has warned of the same. I'm worried for all women and girls in Europe.

[Julietee]

This terrifies me too. I really, truly hope I'm being over anxious and we can protect our secular, liberal freedoms and way of life.

[Lauren15]

FFS sexual and violent assaults against women are hardly a new phenomenon.

[hiddenhome2]

yabu - sexual violence isn't a new invention

No, but tolerance of it is a bit problematic. Sexual assaults throughout Europe have been covered up apparently - Denmark and Sweden to name two.

If things are being covered up, then it means they're tolerated.

[hiddenhome2]

FFS sexual and violent assaults against women are hardly a new phenomenon.

Wow, let's get with it and embrace them then

People are missing the point.

[Ginkypig]

If you had said 17 (young adult) year old dd traveling in one of the areas where these attacks took place now fair enough as it stands though yabu.

For what it's worth though most/all of us feel the same about women being able to be women without fear of attack in a perfect world but as it's not....yet it's a wish rather than a reality

[ThroughThickAndThin01]

Yanbu to be pessimistic about what the world will look like in 10 years, I don't think. I guess worrying specifically about your dd when she is only 6 is a bit over the top though.

[pigsDOfly]

If these assaults are being covered up, how are we hearing about them?

[Ginkypig]

But all the fibres of my being are disgusted that we arnt in a world where women are safe!

[Babyroobs]

YANBU. It's a worrying sitaution.

[toffeeboffin]

I would worry too, OP.

When I was a teenager I wouldn't have thought twice about inter railing around Europe, especially Germany and Northern Europe. Now, not so much.

And it's only going to get worse. As a PP said, covering it up means some degree of tolerance.

Yes, Lauren, it's a hardly a new phenomena. But it's a new phenomenon in public places, where it's been covered up.

What are we supposed to do, sit down and shut up about it, quit our whinging?

Because that's what women have been fighting for for centuries, freedom and women's rights.

We need to move fast or we are heading back to the Middle Ages, just like all those women in Iran, Iraq, ME, Afghanistan, Africa etc.

[Leelu6]

[hiddenhome2]

If these assaults are being covered up, how are we hearing about them?

Because of Cologne. The truth has come to the surface due to the outcry in Germany.

[hiddenhome2]

Is that a breast Lee?

Where's the other one?

[maybebabybee]

Oh for Christ's sake.

Yanbu to be worried about her. YABU to think the risk is any greater now than it has been before.

[Heatherbell1978]

Europe is a big place. Will she be living in a croft in the Highlands or working in a topless bar in Magaluf? I think you're being a tad OTT.

[HermioneWeasley]

Of course the risk is higher than before - are you not reading how the reported number of sexual assaults has increased? Over 500 women have come forward from NYE in Cologne - that's a huge increase.

I'm not going to be silenced because of the incionvenuent truth of the race, religion or nationalities of the perpetrators.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I think the OP is silly (sorry) but I do think there is an issue to be addressed. The sexual assault reports from Europe are a great example. The right-wingers were screaming about something, so I checked usually good sources for a refutation, thinking that the fascists were doing their usual. No refutation, no confirmation; tumbleweed. Very odd.

Now it turns out that something very very serious and newsworthy had happened and that certain news outlets were silent on it. I'm sorry but that does look like a cover-up and it does look like women's safety, rights and voice are being eroded.

I think immigration is great, I'm an immigrant myself. I think it's force for good. I also think that we need to make sure that there is not a fight between cultural relativism and women's rights which ends up with women losing.

We weren't safe before, let's not become even less safe.

[KERALA1]

Yanbu. I travelled to Cairo in my early twenties with a female friend. The sexual harassment was unbelievable. We ended up confined to our hotel room.

126 young women were gang raped in NYE in Cologne.

As a liberal lefty guardian reader my whole world view has changed in the last few weeks. I have 2 little girls and worry that what I experienced in egypt is being imported to Europe under the guise of multi culturalism. . We need to wake up.