As a female do you have the courage to walk alone in the dark?

[Vaccine001]

I have done so but rarely. It has always terrified me. What if i akways think to myself..

Also having to disguise our bodies. Depressing.

@TickleMyPickle

I’m 5ft 10 athletic and strong as fuck and I’m still on constant high alert if I’m walking anywhere when it’s dark. I also have blonde hair and big boobs that I do my best to disguise if I can.

Ahhh, being ginger and flat chested has probably helped my cause!

No option if you commute to work on public transport. It's dark when you get back and even the kids walk in the dark from school if there are sports afterwards.

@Vaccine001

Embracelife ibhave. A reason I'm not telling you here. Ok? Please dont demand personal information

wtf

I do, but that’s because I’m fortunate to have pavements to walk on. When I lived somewhere without paths, my day ended at 4pm in the winter. I hated it!

I don't know what the solution os. Im gettimg older almost 50 and i will be even more vulnerable soon. Sigh.

I wouldn’t if I could help it. I’d do everything I could to avoid it.

Same as walking in lonely forests or isolated spots, I just wouldn’t do it. I can’t control what it gets would do but I can control what I do to try to keep myself safe

what others do

@Vaccine001

I don't know what the solution os. Im gettimg older almost 50 and i will be even more vulnerable soon. Sigh.

Therapy to help with your anxiety.

Bad things happen to good people. We have to put it behind us and not carry on our short lives in terror.

Walking alone in quiet nature reserves etc I won't do either. I miss out on so much. I only walk with a friend. Lots of times i miss those places as its too scary to go alone.

I used to when I was younger. I think I had that invincible feeling (foolishness...) that comes with youth. I'd walk home by myself from nights out, loved going running really late at night when the streets were quiet (midnight ish) as a student, and we lived in a really rough part of town. I never had an issue, really. Once a man offered me a lift and made me feel a bit uncomfortable but he left me alone when I said no thank you. Another man tried to block my way when I was out running one night, but I didn't alow down, just shoved him out the way and kept going and he didn't pursue me.

These days I wouldn't, though. It makes me sad that I've lost that freedom, really, but I wouldn't take the risk anymore. I won't go in taxis on my own at night now, either, after a driver made me feel extremely uncomfortable and unsafe on the way home from a night out. I ended up making up some story about DH (who was on the other side of the country at the time) being awake and waiting up for me and I was genuinely frightened until I was in the house with the door locked.

In the UK, currently, much more likely to die of Covid than be attacked by a stranger whilst walking home/to work/the shops. Between 100-200 a day dying of it at the moment.

I'm on the waiting list for therapy. 😊

I do. I have been mugged before so it isn’t always comfortable.

Add in the risk of Long Covid (including potential organ damage and/or developing diabetes).

@Tealightsandd - That is completely irrelevant.

I frequently walk and run on my own at night. Sometimes back from the pub as late as 12. Only in my village though where I feel very safe. I’m never more than a few metres from the house of someone I know. I do cross the road if I see a man walking towards me though and I change my running route in the winter so that I stick to the pavements and I’m not going across the park in the dark. When I was younger my grandparents lived on a farm and I used to be absolutely petrified going out on my own at night- just to the outbuildings! The house was isolated and surrounded by woods. Occasionally there was talk of criminal types hanging out in the woods (I think more likely burglars than rapists) but I was completely freaked out. When I was a teenager in London I never used to walk home alone- I always call my dad to come and meet me and we’d walk home together.

I do. And ive walked home very late but the road to my house is well lit and on a busy road.

Dp on the other hand won't go to our corner shop (( I won't either tbh)) because of the gangs that hang around. He takes the same precautions as me, walks the same route and usually chats on the phone. As a male he's far more likely to be attacked and has been randomly assaulted on 3 occasions. Tbh he rarely goes out after dark as a result of that.

Of course. It gets dark early in winter so unless you're home by 6 every night walking in the dark is inevitable.

Well no it isn't. It's about making balanced risk assessments.

I've always felt safe and never thought twice about walking in our village in the dark. I have in fact just gone for a short walk to try and shake off a headache before I go to bed. Would I do the same in the nearby town? Not a chance.

Yes most of the time. I would be cautious but not scared to do it. But use caution depending on where/how many people around etc etc.

@Tealightsandd

In the UK, currently, much more likely to die of Covid than be attacked by a stranger whilst walking home/to work/the shops. Between 100-200 a day dying of it at the moment.

So you’re saying that walking alone decreases my chances of catching covid? What a novel take…

Vital to put into perspective level of risks.

If somebody is worried about their safety, currently in the UK Covid is the much greater risk.

I feel the violence will never stop. No matter how much young males are educated. Can't always be the parents fault, can it? Nature v nurture.