14 year old wants to go to the cinema completely on her own

[curious2]

My 14 year old dd wants to go to the cinema completely by herself - obviously with friends and no adults it’s been fine for a while now, but she wants to go just by herself.

I am not sure about this - what do you think?

I am just worried that being on her own and a young girl, she could be targeted by any weirdos potentially present. I know there probably won’t be any weirdos present, but I feel that she might be vulnerable without the presence of vocal and supportive friends.

Really not sure on this - what do you think?

Thanks - yes she is sensible.

She's not 'captive', how silly.

Of course objectively she is not captive, but a young person may feel captive if someone targeted them. It happened to me when I was, admittedly younger, 11. Not in a cinema, but at a swimming pool.

No need to call me silly.

But you've said she's sensible? Have you ever had discussions with her, not just about the cinema, but generally, about how to get out of situations if she feels unsafe/threatened?

She'll be absolutely fine. Let her go. Perhaps be there to pick her up for a lift home afterwards.

Cinema audiences are not captive. The exit doors are not locked, you are free to leave if you need to or if something or someone has made you feel uncomfortable. I am sure your DD knows that.

There are far worse things that a teenager could want to get into.

i used to go to the movies all the time by myself at this age, if there were any weirdos I never noticed them. I wonder what my mum felt - she was certainly up for us being independent but I wonder if she was worried about dodgy types.

She'll have her phone, make sure she knows to leave as soon as she feels uncomfortable and to move if someone sits too close that she's not happy about.

Going to the cinema by yourself is one of life's indulgences, I love it.

I was at the cinema yesterday and a member of staff came in and checked the cinema three times during the film. So even if she was in an awkward situation, there would be someone to grab if she sits in an aisle seat.

My sister and I used to go in to London on our own when we were around the same age. Once when we were in one of the big department stores, my sister noticed that a guy was following us. She had the presence of mind to speak to a security guard and ask him for directions whilst pointing in the direction of the guy. He disappeared soon after that as he obviously thought she had reported him. It was quite scary and there were two of us.

Although it is unilikely that your daughter will encounter trouble, it is possible that someone might notice that she is on her own, so you need to tell her what to do.

Sorry, curious2, but I don't really get your fear about going to a cinema without friends (unless it's a cinema in a red light district that regularly shows pornographic films, or is completely empty except for one other person who turns out to be a pervert...!). Swimming pools, on the other hand, are known for containing many scantily clad people, so if concerned about unwanted attention, I would personally imagine it to be more likely to happen somewhere like that. The only time I have ever received unwanted attention in the cinema, it was from the person I had gone there with, not from a random stranger!