WIBU to walk home alone last night?

[TedMoseby]

I had this conversation with a friend today. She was horrified that I would "take the risk" of walking home alone at midnight. It was a 5 minute walk, along a main (and well-lit) road, with plenty of students around as it was halloween! Obviously if it had been a longer walk, I would have called a taxi!

Her argument was that girls should never walk anywhere alone, "just in case". She never leaves her house after dark and managed to go through a whole degree without going out in the (fabulous and safe) city that we live in once.

I refuse to live my life in fear of what might happen. I understand that girls alone can be vulnerable, and always try to weigh up the risks of walking alone. I live with female friends so if I didn't go out unless accompanied by a man, I wouldn't leave the house!

So, WIBU? This friend has no underlying anxiety issues, by the way.

YANBU

i was sexually assaulted in a city while on a trip- busy street, i was with a friend too, thankfully i defended myself and managed to run off but it was still horrifying, it took my friend and i a while to get over it.

i would still take a five minute walk home where there were people around. i don't think it's sensible to live in constant fear of "what ifs".

Some terrible experiences documented here. But you know what, as much as I want to demonstrate my feminist rights to walk the streets at night I'm a realist. I get a taxi. The ten quid I spend on a taxi is worth every fecking penny to get me home safely and to save me from a long walk.

An aquaintance of mine was raped by a stranger walking home before 9pm in a relatively safe area near where I live. Sorry but there's no way I am putting my safety in jeopardy by walking home. Neither my DP or my DS would so I'm buggered if I'm going to. It wouldn't even cross their minds that getting a taxi was as a result of their sex, why should it be for women?

And added to that I'm a lazy fucker. Walk home? Why?

VerySmallSqueak I don't mean to belittle people who have had bad things happen to them and I am sorry if it came out that way... But I do think its disturbing how women sometimes default to the position that to be out at night is somehow inviting trouble,

I came back from Hamburg last night and I walked down the Reeperbahn on my own on Wed night (off to the Reeperbahn Lidl for wine!) and felt quite safe.
Alternatively, I've felt threatened in my local Alldays at night.

I don't know anyone who's default position would be that at all - quite the opposite. My experience stopped pretty much every single woman I know walking home alone while feeling invincible, often wearing headphones and completely oblivious to the world around them. Your description is completely alien to me.

It's okay quesadilla.I was harsh.Sorry.

I think that McFox and comedy may understand when I say that it's not something you can consciously decide to turn your back on that easily.

I have been very angry for many years for what was taken away from me.

The time I was attacked was the first time I had walked alone in those circumstances.

comedy I reported your post for you, hopefully it'll get removed quickly x

Hugs to you comedy x

YANBU

I'm so sorry to anyone I've offended with this thread. I feel terrible!

Sleep tight comedy.

I've asked for my post to be deleted quesadilla.

My experience stopped pretty much every single woman I know walking home alone while feeling invincible, often wearing headphones and completely oblivious to the world around them.

Oh, I might walk home alone, but not with earphones in. I like to be able to hear what's going on around me - mind you, even then I'm probably more worried about cars than other people.

I've been walking about at night for over 30 years and never had much trouble. I've also had friends say they couldn't possibly do it, etc. For me it's always been a case of: the chances of being attacked are low, and I prefer to run a very small risk than have no social life.

I also think that the more women who go out alone at night, the safer the streets become for all of us (though if you can't, fair enough.) Because women are much more at risk from men we know. Statistically, you're safer out in the street at night than you are at home, if there is a man living in your home; far more women are raped, beaten and killed by partners than by strangers, yet women are not told to avoid living with men or dating them.

YANBU to walk home alone.

EBearhug, the point about earphones is a good one. Even if only from a traffic safety point of view, anything that diminishes your awareness of what's around you is a bad idea.

Statistically, you're safer out in the street at night than you are at home, if there is a man living in your home;

Statistically, you are safer going for a nighttime run naked down crack street in Pimpville, than you are going for a run down the middle lane of the m1.