Would you walk through a park in the dark?

[IntoTheWilderness]

I’ve just been out with the dog, I usually like taking her before it gets dark so she can have a good run. I was late going today, left about 5ish so it wasn’t late but was dark.

I got to the park, felt really uneasy so turned back and walked her round the road along the outside of the park.

I felt a bit ridiculous because I wasn’t on my own as such, I had the dog and she gets anxious in the dark so would warn off anyone that came near me. Just wondered in anyone else would feel the same as a female walking alone or if I was being a bit cautious.

At tea time with a dog? Probably yes, it would have to be a pretty rough park not to.

Depends on the dog unless specially trained most dogs are not as useful as you would think in an emergency situation. Yes they can bark and attract attention but depending on the weapons carried by a would be attacker this can easily be solved.

I love walking on my own in daylight, I don’t have any problem with walking through woods or quiet parks at all.

This park is quite enclosed, 2 small gates in and out, with woodland and high walls all round so I felt uncomfortable because I wouldn’t be seen from outside and couldn’t get away easily if anything was to happen.

I’m fairly confident the dog wouldn’t let anyone come near enough to me to actually do anything and she’d stay close when it’s dark but still I felt really uncomfortable about it.

I run in the dark with my dog very early in the morning or after work with a good head lamp (i live in the countryside). No other women in my running club would, most don't like running alone even in the daylight.

Yes with my dog and in an ok area. Not in most city parks, no. Sadly.

No I wouldn't. My DH took the dog for a very late night walk to a nearby park and when he came back he said there has been another man there without a dog. Of course the man could have been completely innocent but it would have scared me.

Literally walked me and DD through the park about 5ish too - hated every second of it. Won’t be doing that again!!! I thought it would be better lit.

There are 2 parks near my house, one I would happily walk through alone in the dark (regularly did walking home from work) the second makes me feel very uncomfortable and I walk along the main road around it even during the day when I'm alone.

Most family pets wouldn't prevent someone from getting raped, mugged or murdered especially if the attacker has a knife.

Depends on the park but I’ve been known to walk down alley ways in the dark when I finished work in my old job , so it was about 11:30pm- DH was fuming when he found out i had been doing it . Then one day I was running late and had been avoiding the alley but didn’t want DH to be worrying where I was so I took the alley and this guy chased me . Never been so scared in my life . So now I don’t go anywhere dark by myself .

My house overlooks a park, it's literally across the road. There is no fence. I walk along the road and venture in only as far as the well lit dog poo bin. Ddog is old and grumpy so doesn't want to go much further anyway. If I am out at night alone I walk around the roadway rather than cut across.

I’d feel slightly uneasy maybe but I would, I have a retired police dog (GSD) and a young one in training though, both trained to ‘watch him’ (stand over and bark) and a ‘stop him’ (hold.) Most pet dogs would do legs and run off at an attackers kick let’s be honest.

No.

We're not a whole lot safer in daylight. We just like to think we are.

I wouldn't, don't even like being in a park during the day by myself. But isn't it interesting, I bet we all know the stats that as women we are more likely to be raped or killed at home than by a stranger in a public space. Although how much is that statistic affected by us policing our own behaviour so we don't walk in parks after dark?

My rule is: if it makes you feel uncomfortable, don’t do it. Instinct is there for a reason. I learnt the hard way that sometimes our instincts are right and we need to leave places/ situations that feel wrong/ unsafe rather than trying to convince ourselves we’re just being silly/ overreacting.

Depends on the park. I wouldn’t have done when I lived in a built up area, now I’m in the middle of nowhere I walk the dog and go running on my own at whatever time. I get nervous sometimes but I was assaulted as a teenager and spent years scared of my own shadow and now going out alone feels like I’m saying fuck you to the guy who assaulted me.

Depends on the park- I would in my area, but violent crime is almost zero here.

Just realised i didn’t answer your question! Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends on lighting, if anyone is around, if it’s open space or bushes/ trees and gut feeling. Interestingly my dog shares my gut feeling and more than once when I’ve felt surprisingly uncomfortable in a familiar place he’s stopped, growled (not like him at all) and then chased someone out of the bushes!

I do this regularly in the winter. Our dog is reactive so I try to avoid busier times and often walk in the local park and fields surrounding my village. I take a head torch when I remember mostly so I can pick up her poop.

Also used to regularly go running in dark unlit areas - never thought twice about it! We do live in a nice area though with little if any trouble - I grew up on a pretty rough council estate so feel safer here!

No, I often do a long walk around a huge forest and depending on what route I take it can change the duration of the walk massively. I’ve mistimed things before and ended up having no choice but to complete the walk in the dark and I always feel a bit of inward panic (and I’m not generally a nervous person at all)

@CountFosco exactly. Have you read a book called “the right amount of panic” it’s based on the authors phd research into street harassment

I used to walk our German Shepherd after work without problem but he was a big protective male so no one would have dared try anything.

Without him, no probably not.

No I wouldn’t. Years ago I was walking my dog through my local park at dusk and a man appeared from behind some trees and wanked at me. No one else was around and I felt incredibly vulnerable, I just legged it as fast as I could. Still freaks me out when I think about it.

Absolutely not.