Walking alone in forests?

[Vemjs]

I was just wondering if most women are happy to walk through a Forest / big fields / nature reserves on their own for a dog walk? Or do you view this as dangerous?

Sorry it's probably not under right topic!

I would. The couple of times I was mugged was on London streets. The times I've been sexually harassed have all been on London transport. Woods and forests don't bother me but I wouldn't walk them with headphones in.

My dog would be useless.

I agree with the PP who is doing some sort of spatial study - it could be atavistic if not dictated by personal experience.

No, I wouldn't. I was with DH recently in a forested area, and there was a bloke in there who would have freaked me out, had I been alone. He wore a hoody and was behaving strangely. No one else around. Nah, why risk it?

Yes, I do.

Like others I’ve experienced the most harassment on public transport in cities.

I’m also well aware that, like any other straight woman, by far the biggest risk I’ve ever taken with my safety is to have a male domestic partner.

@TableFlowerss
And if a woman happens to be working with a man, alone, then he attacks her, she’ll know exactly who he is - so it’s unlikely he’d get away with it. A stranger in the middle of the forest is likely to get away with it because the woman isn’t likely to know him....

Men do not seem to think that’s much of a deterrent. Only 8% of violent offences against women are by strangers.

i feel safer in Kielder Forest in Northumberland where I spent a lot of time as a child (hardly anyone is in it if you go at the right times) than bits of London around here! The forest is protection. It is sticks you can use as tools. It is trees behind which to hide or climb. It is cover. It is safety in a sense particularly if you are good at tracking, hearing sounds of others etc.

Most days, with and without the dog.

Not sure why but the picture was deemed to be too big! I've never seen that message before - and I post enough of the dog!!

I would, and have done, I’m in N Ireland. With & without my dog. If I lived elsewhere probably not (but then maybe I only think here is safer because I live here?). I’d be more worried about falling & hurting myself or getting lost.

Realistically I’m too fat to kidnap anyway 😆🤷🏼‍♀️

I wouldn't walk alone

through a deserted forest, I mean

All the time, feel uncomfortable walking in a city on my own though.

And if a woman happens to be working with a man, alone, then he attacks her, she’ll know exactly who he is - so it’s unlikely he’d get away with it.

There's something quite touching about your faith in the judicial system if you think that just because a woman is able to identify an attacker, he doesn't get away with it. Have you ever read the news? I could list off the top of my head a dozen cases where women have accused men they know of assaulting them and every single one of them has "got away with it".

If you want the actual facts, according to Rape Crisis, 90% of those who are raped know the perpetrator prior to the offence. And yet everyone's terrified of walking in woods. That's what I mean about the inability to risk assess.

It is true I don’t think we as women are risk assessing well if we are more scared of woods than of red flags in relationships. Most attacks have warning signs too, the colleague who gives us the creeps or the Ex who has been harassing us.

It is also men who are more likely to be randomly attacked by a stranger.

Sometimes I think we as women have internalized that we are more vulnerable than men from violence in the ‘outside’, which isn’t true. But we restrict travelling, walking because of it in a way that men don’t. It might be safer overall for women to be a bit more confident, and men to be a less so and both of us to take similar safety precautions and advice.

[quote BoomBoomsCousin]@TableFlowerss
And if a woman happens to be working with a man, alone, then he attacks her, she’ll know exactly who he is - so it’s unlikely he’d get away with it. A stranger in the middle of the forest is likely to get away with it because the woman isn’t likely to know him....

Men do not seem to think that’s much of a deterrent. Only 8% of violent offences against women are by strangers.[/quote]
I’m sure that’s correct given how many women are in abusive relationships.

I do all the time. Our house backs onto a forest and we have no fence to our garden. A few of my friends think it's creepy but I love it.

@TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross

And if a woman happens to be working with a man, alone, then he attacks her, she’ll know exactly who he is - so it’s unlikely he’d get away with it.

There's something quite touching about your faith in the judicial system if you think that just because a woman is able to identify an attacker, he doesn't get away with it. Have you ever read the news? I could list off the top of my head a dozen cases where women have accused men they know of assaulting them and every single one of them has "got away with it".

If you want the actual facts, according to Rape Crisis, 90% of those who are raped know the perpetrator prior to the offence. And yet everyone's terrified of walking in woods. That's what I mean about the inability to risk assess.

That’s like any crime though, if there’s no evidence, sadly there may not be a conviction. If she knew who it was they could get dna samples so there’s at least a starting point. If it’s a stranger there’s no starting point whatsoever.

I’m sure the facts in your last paragraph are correct but it’s still a different scenario as these will include many men whom women have been in abusive relationships with.

To add, rape changes are notoriously difficult to prove. So again, if you have no clue of who it was then he’s almost certainly going to get away with it, as there’s no starting point...

I do, twice a day, small white fluffy dog!

Yes. It's a shame it needs to be asked.

I suppose it’s similar to asking would you walk home alone at 3am....

I absolutely wouldn’t, because of the lack of people about. There’s be no one to help if someone was attacked at that time and it’s dark so obviously easier for a predator to hide.

It’s shit women should feel like this but it’s the world we live in sadly with too many not cases and opportunists.

nut cases

Yes not always comfortable but I still do enjoy it and don't want to not do it.

I used to but I'm frightened of out of control dogs, not male attackers.
So many inept lockdown dog owners around here, it's worrying.
I shouldn't have to worry. It's not my job to control dodgy dogs ffs.

No, I wouldn’t be anywhere remote on my own

Occasionally. I feel a bit uneasy in a quiet forest though. Only do a short stretch between more open areas. I hate feeling this way - the risk is probably infinitesimally small and the inconvenience of finding a better route is annoying.

Oh and it's men that worry me, not dogs.