Do women walk alone at night

[aDayattheLido]

Do you?
Do women you know?

DNiece is at university. She came to visit me the other weekend. Her train back to uni was going to arrive after dark. I gave her some money for a taxi from the station to her halls. She said "oh I'll just walk" (but still took the £20 🙂). She says she walks back from the library and her part time job.

Is this normal or do women walk in pairs/packs or get a taxi?

(btw This was discussed on another thread but before anyone cries "TAAT" I'm just interested in chatting about it further)

No one said they are silly!

Honestly, what are you reading. I was reacting to OTT posters. And frankly, it is not out of this world to point out that mn has higher levels of anxiety than outside of mn.

So no I will not be ashamed of myself. Honestly.

I do yes but in London I probably would not

I do but only in public, well lit and open areas. I have done since about the age of 19.

Honestly I'm not really out much at night anymore - late 20s with two under 5s. But when I am, yes I often walk alone. I don't drive, so on the odd occasion I do go on a social event at night, I walk to/from the venue or I walk to/from bus stop at least, if I need to get bus and this is all usually alone. I've been walking alone at night since I was about 16/17 so I'm just used to it really and it doesn't bother me. I can't really afford taxis unless absolutely necessary and tbh personally I feel more anxious alone in a taxi late at night with a male driver than I do walking alone around main roads with a fair amount of traffic and/or footfall or on a bus with plenty of other people etc.

People are struck by lightning too tbf.

Being sensible is one thing but hammers in prams is just bonkers.

I do. I always have done.

I go for dinner alone, have holidayed alone and even hitched lifts on my own. Most people in the world are harmless or downright lovely.😊

Yes, I walk my dog, walk home from a friend's house, back from the bus stop on the way home from work. Its dark at 4.30 in winter. How else do women get about if they don't have a car or a partner / friend to accompany them everywhere. Can people really afford daily taxis to avoid this walks ?

Not something I think about, TBH.

I used to walk home alone all the time but then around 11pm was in a really quiet and deserted part of my normal route home and 3 men ran up behind me. Couldn't have outrun them so I did the sensible thing and just sat down (assuming this was a freeze response) turns out they were running for their train thank goodness and they thought I was mental but it genuinely scared me enough that I would have got a taxi from then on. However I've had a few weird experiences with taxi drivers too so would normally get dropped to the bottom of my street when I lived alone or lied about someone waiting home for me and left a light on before I went out. So taxis aren't really the solution.

My DH and I were out walking our dog recently and he wanted to cut down an alley and I wouldn't and he said it was a bit of an eye opener for him because he'd never have thought twice taking that route. Male privilege is real hey.

I’m sorry, not being a handmaiden, i tend to walk when and where I need to. Like every other human I hope. Should special rules apply to me as sex class female? NO. TELL MEN NOT TO ASSAULT (and note i say assault, because sometimes it’s the little things you should STOP doing)

I do, always have. Never had a problem.

When we lived in Glasgow, the polis interrupted our womens yoga class in the primary school, (7 to 8 pm, weeknight) to say it was far too dangerous for us women to be out after dark. I suggested they tell men to stay at home instead, then we'd be perfectly safe . They gave up and left.

It's the little guys you often need to be most wary of, especially if they appear "friendly"… they might be rabid!

No never have and never will
Wouldn't feel safe and it isn't safe.
Too many horrible people around.

Just watch the news many women are assaulted or raped and murdered by strangers at night or early morning.

I walked home alone from the town centre tonight. Not a soul to be seen most of the way. My life would be a lot more restricted if I didn't do things like this, and I don't want to live like that.

Yep. Always have. I live in a wee village so perfectly safe here but the only place in the entirety of Scotland I’ve ever though “oh fuck” was certain areas in Glasgow and certain areas in Edinburgh. It wasn’t even an “oh there could be a man coming for me” in Edinburgh it was usually junkies and you’re thinking you need to stuff your cash in your bra or boots and in Glasgow it’s the sectarian “Christ this is Union Jack territory, please don’t ask my name, please don’t do anything overtly catholic”.

The news is selective. Two women every week are murdered by a partner or former partner in the UK. How often do you see that in the news? Not often because it's so common.

I thought men were like 75% of homicide victims?

@Galaktoboureko they are but there is a widespread belief that they are a) disposable and b) bring it on themselves (you know, by doing things like walking around at night).

Yes, all the time and I've never had an issue.

depends on time, where it is, what the streets are like etc etc. but yes I probably would!

I walk around on my own at night frequently (in London) but only in busy / lit areas. This includes Soho / Dalston / Camden etc on a Saturday night. I would be freaked about walking anywhere that was poorly lit though. When I go for an early morning walk sometimes my local park has been opened before dawn but I never go through even though it’s a beautiful park.

I doubt many women can afford taxis to work all the time, so of course some of their journey to and from work, college or school will be on foot alone in the dark.

I used to walk alone late at night without giving it a second thought. Then I was sexually assaulted and now I avoid it as much as possible. I will forgo alcohol and drive if necessary. I’m not happy about it but combined with being quite badly assaulted by a group of random people in the street when I was a teenager, and another incident where my drink was spiked, it tipped me over the edge.

I live in a I lived somewhere more rural I probably would. It’s a shame as I love nighttime walks and stargazing.

Only occasionally when desperate to walk and get out of the house. A quick walk round the block.

I do tell my 19yo dd not to come back from places alone when its late at night .