To ask if you feel safe as a woman to walk outside alone after dark

[Flufferblub]

I've been stuck indoors sick for a few days where I've been ill. I'm quite over weight and feel as though I need to go for a walk. I feel like I need to walk off the first meal I've had for a few days, as I feel quite uncomfortable. But I can't. Because I'm a woman and I don't feel safe enough to go out walking alone after dark. It's a shame that I don't feel safe enough to go out and get fresh air and exercise as a woman. Am I overly anxious, or is it just sensible to not go out alone at night? How do other women feel about this?

Thanks

I do. Where I live is pretty busy with businesses open late.

It depends on the time and the area. But if you mean at 7pm-ish, when this was posted - yes, I'm fine with going out for a walk. I'm often just getting home from work right now, which would be either cycling two miles or walking from the bus stop five minutes away. I picked my son up from the childminder at 6pm, which is a mile each way. Suburbs of a large town, very quiet area.

I wouldn't walk through the nearby fields and woods on my own at this time, or down the alley if no-one else was around. And I might be more cautious about going out on my own past 9pm, though still would nip to the shop.

Same

I've lived alone in central-ish London most of my life, and I have to say that I have always felt safe walking about in the dark (from 4pm in winter to 1am coming home after a night out).

Thinking about it now, more precisely, I don't know that I "feel safe" as such; I just know that I won't live a life in which I don't get to enjoy my freedom, so I suppose I am not prepared to think about whether or not I am objectively safe and curtail my movements accordingly.

This.

I wouldnt know how someone would function not going out after dark

As others have said, thats about 4 in winter or even 3.30ish is it?

Usually I’m fine with it - but I live in fairy safe city centre, and in a very quiet country town.

There are places I wouldn’t walk. Although some of those would be more unsafe if I were a bloke..

Unless you live somewhere that has real issues I wouldn’t limit your life. We hear a lot about violent stranger attacks in the news, but they are very rare.

Yes, generally speaking, anywhere where I live or have been.

Where I've heard of women getting attacked by strangers, these instances were not dominantly in the dark. Of course it can happen in both the dark and in daylight, but you'd be unfortunate for it to happen at all. It's not like everywhere in the dark gangs form to lurk in wait for passing women all the time.

(Some women are very cautious and sometimes this caution hurts other women. Once I was at a distant relative's house and she had a guy drive me home and that guy (mildly) sexually assaulted me. No one on the street has ever grabbed at me. So this was worse, in the event, for me.)

Where I live I would feel safe to do this. I live in a lovely small town and I've never even felt uneasy that way here

Of course , like others have said I can’t imagine not going out in the evening and as I don’t drive I take buses, walk etc. live in busy town and feel very comfortable. Wouldn’t put headphones in if it was late mind

There are times I go to work in the dark and come home in the dark. So unless I give up work I have no choice.

Yes, I walk in the dark all the time

I honestly didn't realise until I started reading Mumsnet that there were so many women who didn't

Yes, I love just outside the city off a main road so very well lit. I wouldn't walk through a park or the industrial estate though.

Lots of women wouldn’t be able to get home from work if they didn’t.

I spent three years working alone at night in Birmingham. That kind of made me pretty resistant to worrying. I was doing truck deliveries which often involved backing down dark alleys next to shop shutters. Encountered lots of homeless people and never had any issues. I did always have a heavy wheel nut wrench to hand though.

Hmm, not really no

Occasionally walk around the block but we are suburban

I won't avoid a situation just because I don't feel safe (unless it's a burning building / reliably rough place where you're bound to get mugged!). I just take extra precautions.

I never walk alone in the dark with headphones in.

I never walk in the dark looking at my phone.

I walk against the flow of traffic.

I don't dawdle (but I'm a fast walker anyway, hate dallying).

I don't have stealable things on me: I'm a tiny person, anyone could whip an expensive phone out of my hand or handbag off my shoulder.

Just normal stuff, really.

It gets dark so early that what choice do we have, I used to walk home from work/bars etc in the dark, walk the dog in the dark. Now I live in the countryside and still have to walk in the dark.

Do you worry after 9 or in the fields just because it’s quieter, or have there been specific issues?

I live in a very safe residential area and don’t sleep well, so I’m downright reckless and will go out for walks at stupid o’clock. I get more worried for other women.

Depends where.

I wouldn't go to the woods... but I walk into the village. Or around town.

DD comes home from school by herself when its dark, and to her evening clubs (finish at 8).

Wouldn't bother me tbh. I mean, I wouldn't walk across a park or down a canal towpath after dark, but round my local area...no problem.

I'm not worried and I can't imagine living my life in fear like that.

My kids walked to the shop 20 min round trip after dark tonight.

I would really have to think my local area was an absolute hell hole to be worried about this.

I massively restrict what I do because of the fear of being attacked by a man.
I’d love to go on long walks in the countryside by myself but I don’t in case I run into a dangerous man.
The chance of something happening might be small but men are opportunistic and the consequences could be devastating.

No, I don't feel safe and that's based on past experience. I run in pairs minimum (rural area) at night and often walk part of the way through city centre, etc, quite late at night (after 10pm) after exercise classes or the gym.

Depends where. Most of my local area, fine, wouldn’t think twice. But my favourite place to walk is the river bank, which is unlit after dark- I wouldn’t go there. And in an area where I felt less comfortable I’d walk after dark to get somewhere, but not just for the sake of going for a walk.