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..

I do. I am single and live alone and have been that way much of my adult life. If I wasn't prepared to go out alone on foot, or on public transport, or in taxis, I would never go anywhere. If it happens to be late, well, I still need to get home to my bed. I've done it everywhere I lived, and also in a lot of places I've been on holiday. I travelled half the world alone. That doesn't mean I go down every dark alley, and I'd avoid uneven ground mostly because I'm likely to end up tripping over.

I'm single. I could also be at risk when there are workmen in the house, or all sorts of other places where I have to deal with people alone, but most people are okay, and I still need to live my life.

The only people I know who were randomly attacked in the street here were three male friends together after pub closing, some other blokes just looking for a fight. And a guy back where I grew up was attacked by another guy we all knew from school (in a small town, you know who your attacker is.)

I once helped a man pick up his very drunk friend who was trying to lie down in the middle of the road. I was with a group, but I reckon it was much safer for me to have done that than the guys I was with, because the drunkard would have reacted with hostility to an unknown man trying to move him.

I grew up on a farm. The biggest risk my mother warned us of was poachers, and if we tried walking home through the woods (where the footpath went,), they might shoot us if their lamps reflected on our eyes, mistaking us for an animal. That always seemed a more realistic risk than a stranger attacking me randomly, so I didn't do it.

The thing I worry about most when I go out alone is if I had an accident, would anyone find me in time to get help before I died of hypothermia or something? But I have the same risk at home. I could fall down the stairs and no one find me for weeks. (I hope work might do some sort if welfare check after a day or two.)

I do walk alone in the dark. As a much younger woman, I encountered flashers, gropers, stalkers and literal wankers more often in the daytime than after dark. This was more frightening when I was on my own, but being with friends was no guarantee it wouldn't happen.

I was going to say I would and then I remembered the last time this came up (I wanted to look for my cat) and I didn't dare go out alone in the dark. Not super logical as all the times I've been assaulted have been in broad daylight with plenty of people around...

I used to, but wouldn't now. Similarly won't take dog on long walks alone

Yes I do or have done.
I used to get up early and walk the dog (he’s old now, doesn’t want to go). For some reason I’ve always felt safer late at night rather than the early hours.
Like pp I’ve seen men exposing themselves etc which I’ve always reported. I’ve walked through subways, as it’s been the ‘quickest’ way to get home. These days I take taxis.

I walk alone in the dark but am more selective about my routes (lighting, surface, visibility, avoiding areas of drunk people)
I have children to pick up from school.
I avoid driving very short journeys under a mile for the sake of it
I go running in the winter (Christmas fairy light runs are much nicer than the grey twighlight of winter day time)
I live in a pleasantly dopey area with little through traffic, good lighting, few pubs and lots of open visibility.

Realistically, the biggest hazard is tripping / getting slapped in the face by a tree.

When I was a teenager there was a high profile stranger murder in my home towm less than a mile from me. It was years before DNA evidence finally caught the murderer. A few years later (while still unsolved) I had to follow her last steps to get home from work, passing her memorial where she was attacked and murdered. Walking was the only practical way to do the mile long journey and in winter it was dark coming home, and not great light heading in.

It's a hazard I've always been aware of and lived with. I'm not going to live a half life out of fear from being in the wrong place at the wrong moment. I can't change the fact that I'm very obviously a petite woman or young looking. I can do things to slightly improve my chances, head up looking around me, aware of surroundings, keep to practical routes, confident stride, fit for running, practical clothes, attack alarm etc. It's no magic solution, but it would improve odds against some situations developing if someone is more opportunistically looking for someone appearing vulnerable. Not that it would have made any difference in the topical case.

I did up until I was probably mid twenties but had a couple of dicey encounters (mainly men on buses or at bus stops who didn't want to take no for an answer) and then got followed one night on my 10 minute walk home from my mates house by a guy who crossed roads and changed direction when I did (so was definitely following me) and was only deterred when I dived down the driveway of an old neighbour and knocked their door. Thank god they were up and let me in because I know that man meant me harm and I can still feel the fear when I think about it.

I've been married to DH for 20 odd years now and it's become a given that he picks me up if I'm out at night and if we need a late night shop or takeaway run it's him who goes. I'm not particularly happy that we've fallen into that habit but it also feels logical that he would stand a better chance of defending himself against another man than I would if anything happened. DD is currently too young to be out alone but I'm not envisaging her having much freedom as a teenager/young woman which is utterly depressing.

For context I live in a town in the West Midlands which has gone rapidly downhill in recent years but was actually quite nice and safe-feeling back when the being followed incident took place. It feels less safe to me now rather than more which means we're going backwards, no surprises there sadly.

It is fairly safe in the village where I live, except there are not many street lights, and in various areas in the village, there are a few dark wooded areas. I don't like walking alone when it's dark, as the darkness puts a different aspect on things at night, and can conjure up all sorts of things in your mind..

I think it's because I am an oldie now, and of the mindset, that there could be attacks and all crime stuff anywhere these days.

@MixedClassBaby

Absolutely. It's not about courage for me. I enjoy being outdoors at all times and refuse to be controlled by fear.

This.

I kind of feel defiant that why the hell should I not be able to take a walk after dark.

I do certainly have a heightened sense of awareness, walk close to main roads, well lit areas and essentially do feel vulnerable but won't allow that to stop me from going.

Yes all the time. I used to do night shifts and finish work at 2am so had to walk home at that time of day for about 3 years. Through busy city centres, the 'rough' part of town and areas with no lighting.

I go running at 4am some days (I'm an early bird) and my thoughts have never been consumed with 'what if' or fear.

I used to when I was younger, lived in London and thought I was invincible. Used to walk like a man, put myself in stupid situations after coming home from the pub like walking down a Dark Thames towpath with a strange man who was also walking my way. Only got attacked once when someone jumped out the bushes and fought him off luckily. I fear for my daughter if she was anything like I was. I didn't seem to have fear for some reason though. Makes me mad the response from the Met regarding people stopped by a lone plain clothes policeman challenging their legitimacy, seems a bit insensitive to Sarah Everards family somehow

Yes - I don't give it a second thought.

But it's dark here by 4pm in the winter months and my job involves working outdoors and alone.

I walk alone in the dark all the time, but I do tend to stick to places with decent lighting. I went for a run at 6.30 the other morning and it was suddenly very dark compared to the previous mornings. My biggest concern was stomping in a dog poo. However, part of my route is round a deserted path in the grounds of a leisure centre and I have to admit to feeling a bit uncomfortable as it is surrounded by trees. I don't feel like this in daylight. Anyway, I won't be running at that time for a few months as I struggle to get up so early on cold, dark mornings!

Yes, I do.

I currently live in an area that is considered 'undesirable' so I wouldn't walk too far but I do walk to the local shop or back from the train station after dark.

Like others, I'm aware of my surroundings and on alert but I'm not scared.

I have become increasingly aware over the past few years of men making deliberate moves to show they are not a threat - crossing over the street, stepping a good distance away from me as I pass (not just covid related!) and apologising if they are inadvertently too close. I've taking to acknowledging them so they know it's appreciated.

Last night I walked around the corner and up my road in the dark. There was a guy in front of me. I crossed the road purely because I lived on that side. A couple of mins later, he went to cross also, got half way across the road, saw me and walked down the middle of the road instead.

I think men are also becoming more aware of the danger men as a class present to.women and the decent ones don't want to be seen as amongst them.

Town, city no, village I live in now, yes.

As a child I lived in a town. My mum, brother (12) and I (9) were walking back from the dentist probably around 6pm in winter. The streets were dead, except for the man obviously following us. I can remember my mother's fear, her whispering to us, and us trying to see if the few houses on route had lights on.
Fortunately, before we got to our street there was a car parked up with a man and a woman doing some sort of traffic survey. My mum walked us all up to the car, the man who had been following us stopped and waited on the pavement. She loudly said 'This man is following us.' The man paused briefly, then continued to walk on up the road. We waited until he was out of sight until we continued home, uneventfully but alert. The police came round to interview us that night, but there was never a follow up.

There was also the time a friend and I saw a man having a wank in his van outside a primary school, in daylight. We were both feather light teens at the time (and no mobiles) so we walked on, but reported it to the school when we got in.

So yes, I walk about in my village at night, I have a torch because there's no street lights. I stay aware, and in winter disguise my hair with a hat and try to walk confidently.

I always have. I still do.

I go out for a walk alone in the dark just to have a walk.

However, I live in a semi-rural safe area. I much prefer walking in the dark sometimes as you don't see the number of people - bliss!

I've lived in less 'safe' areas and still walked home in the dark they have been busier areas and which felt fine.

I guess it's down the the individual.

Not in isolated places.

I'm in Greater London and almost always feels safe.

I do worry for my 12 yo ds though. I've always known that as s young male he is statistically the most likely to be the victim of violent stranger attack. However, the reality of him going to secondary and moving around the city independently has made me worried. We've had a lot of chats with him - touch wood if anything ever happens it won't be too bad.

I don't walk anywhere by myself. If I don't have anyone to go with I just stay at home. I'm autistic and my body language must be poor because I do get shouted at by men and teenagers if I'm alone. I don't know what it is about me that attracts attention because I dress and look very dull and ordinary, but people still have a go.

Yes, always have done, also hitch hiked on my own in various countries. I refuse to be fearful of life.

Yes I do, but I try to stick to well lit streets and avoid dimly lit or unlit paths. I agree with a previous poster that it's important to swallow confidently. It's also important to be aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts. The one time I ignored my instincts about someone walking too close I was attacked and mugged. I should have trusted my instincts.

Have done all my life - I have never owned a car so it's that or really restrict my life.

I live in C London and never felt unsafe walking alone at night (or perhaps I didn’t give it too much thought), however, reading that WC prowled Earls Court and Kensington before picking up Sarah really hit home that this really could have happened to anyone. I wouldn’t necessarily have resisted if a police man stopped me during lockdown. I was reprimanded for sitting on a bench in Hyde Park during lockdown and so being stopped for being out wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility.

Swallow!!! Not sure where that came from in my previous post. I meant walked!

Yes, always have and always will.