To feel worried for this womans saferty and wonder why she isnt?

[girlfriend44]

Looking out the window in the middle of the night was a woman walking down the road in shorts and alone.

I was wondering why she dosent feel scared, I would?

Yes she should be able too. Yes it dosent matter what she was wearing, but really would you want your daughter to do that? I wouldnt and wouldnt do it myself.

I wonder if some people dont listen to the news and why they arent scared that they will be attacked or abused walking along in the early hours. Do they think it wont happen to them?

We all know what some men are like, its on here often enough?
Remember that I do know women should be able too and it dosent matter if she was wearing a bag on her head, clothing has nothing to do with it really? but you just have to wonder why?

Was she brave or silly and would you have felt worried for her?

I've got to be honest, I'd keep a short watch to make sure her body language didn't give off any vibes that she was vulnerable/unwell but otherwise no I wouldn't ordinarily be concerned about a woman's safety walking around at night.

But my bias is that I like walking and I don't restrict myself to daylight hours - it's much nicer walking the streets when no one else is around so wouldn't assume a lone woman walking at night is doing something inherently unsafe.

I believe this is called concern trolling. You feel like putting someone down but you know her behaviour is completely inoffensive so you pretend your motive is altruistic.

Was she walking on a particularly gravelly path? Otherwise I don’t see why the shorts are an issue.

You aren’t increasing your risk above the average by walking alone at night. The woman you saw out at night alone is less likely to be attacked than a similar woman walking home with a man. It is men we know who are most likely to attack us. We don’t increase our risk by being out alone. We increase our risk by spending time with men. (And I’m not advocating for spurning all men).

Did you inform the church elders?

Of course every woman should be able to wear what they want, where they want, without attractive ring unwanted attention but life isn't like that.

You're making a valid point about safety at night but conflating it with what someone is wearing. They are not related. What someone is wearing has no bearing whatsoever on likelihood of being atacked

There really isn’t.

You'd be horrified at me - I walk home through woodland. Including late at night, when I'm drunk and on my own. Tbf I don't wear shorts at my age so maybe I'm ok. 🤷‍♀️

Just because she was out, doesn't mean she wasn't afraid.
I can't help feeling afraid whenever I'm walking somewhere alone in the dark, it's not something I can really control. But I don't let a fear, which has never actually come true (for me), control what I do. I agree with others that there are countless other situations, times and places a woman is more likely to be attacked.

😂😂😂
”I saw Goody Proctor walking in SHORTS!”

You don't know the context op- maybe she knew martial arts, maybe she had her keys in her hand in that ready to attack style.

I'd happily walk in the dark and do think yabu. As do the majority it seems.

I'm really surprised at the reactions you've got here @girlfriend44

I agree it should be fine and I would want to be able to walk alone in my 'not particularly dangerous' area... but would I? No.

I'm with you 100% on this.

Maybe she was a ghost and not actually real, OP?👻
Or she could be a woman going home after her work after a shift( club, factory,whatever) and not lucky enough to have private transport to take her home. Used to do it myself.

She wasn’t brave or silly, she was out there living her life.

I have a teenage daughter, I’ve told her how to keep herself safe when she’s out and about without me. Things like: “always be aware of your surroundings including people around you, let us know where you’re going and when you’re going to be back, never be afraid of calling anyone for help.

I have never, ever told her not to wear something incase she is assaulted. This is because it doesn’t matter what she wears in that respect. If someone is going to get attacked it’s going to happen regardless.

👌👌

😂

I think if someone was gonna murder you they would do so if you had shorts on or a lab jacket tbf

Most rapists are people we know, not randoms on the streets. Statistically you should be more worried about the men in her life.

Yes. It is goady AF.

I don't walk through the local park after midnight if it's dark. But otherwise I go out alone at night. In shorts if it is warm (and a top). On Friday I'll walk home from the bar at 4am. I understand where op is coming from but I genuinely don't have the energy to be more cautious than I already am. I can't just satay home if it's dark. I can't afford to take a taxi everywhere. I can't be asked to restrict myself and my life. To me it's worth the risk.

Another late night walker here. Just one comment to @Duchessofspace I would recommend your daughter calls you when starting back home and poss leaves the phone on .... but talking to someone on a phone does make you less aware of surroundings ..

The one time I was sexually attacked by a man in the street I was wearing trousers and a school jumper and it was in broad daylight.

The three encounters I've had with flashers have been in the middle of the day.

I walk alone at night but I just make sure I stay alert in the same way I do if I'm walking in a deserted area during the day.

Was it snowing? That might be the problem

I also agree. I would not put myself at any unnecessary risk so cannot comprehend why others do

Women are at risk walking alone in the middle of the night/ early hours like it or not. Attacks happen. Yes they happen at others times, but you are increasing your risk in the early hours out alone.

None of this she was only walking home thing and outcrys and marches and vigils (sarah everard) will ever stop men raping and murdering women.

MEN are more likely to be randomly attacked on the street than women.

MEN attack and murder other men randomly in the street.

And if there's ever a case for the argument of "it what's they were wearing" its more likely to be male on male because they were wearing the wrong football shirt after a match...