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 always go out walking in the wee small hours. Much prefer night walking when nobody is about however I also have a huge German Shepherd with me. I wouldn't feel comfortable on my own

Yes absolutely I’d never consider not walking simply because it was dark, I wouldn’t go walking through a deserted park or forest or anything but I’d walk about the streets/round a town or city.

I used to go out running at night in my 20s. I loved it. Since having kids I feel more aware of the risks and like it’s not a sensible thing to do, so no I wouldn’t.

By someone they know.
A man is more at risk from a stranger

For me, the risks are different.
I walk and run from my home in the dark. I live in a small village. If I go across the fields when it's dark I see literally no one. If I'm running on the roads I might see the odd dog walker near the village, but mostly just cars, and tbh being able to see the lights makes me feel safer (from a road safety POV) as I can hop on the verge. I have a good head torch and many, many reflective garments.
I'm sure it would be more risky for me to get in the car and drive to the gym, but I wouldn't do that anyway as I much prefer being outside.

I live so rurally there's no-one around in the day never mind at night. I feel totally safe, nothing happens here. Happily go out at night on my own, walking, whatever. Or driving in freezing fog on a winter's night at 3am.

Wouldn't feel safe in a town though, too many people, too dangerous for a woman out in the early hours....tho' probably wouldn't worry up until 10pm in a town.

Try popping out at 10pm to buy some toothpaste in Amman 😆

I feel safe walking to my car and back but no not a stroll around the local area. Would go out to drive to the supermarket or something
It's probably me being over cautious but there's been a lot of issues in the past with anti social behaviour, the usual lads with balaclavas/puffa jackets/hoods up type thing

In the town centre I would feel ok

No. I don’t feel safe. statistically it is safe, and Im fat so super hard to kidnap, but I still don’t feel comfortable walking about after dark.

Yes. I feel safe to go outside at night alone. Occasionally walk the dog late at night, admittedly do feel safer with him. We’re on the edge of the town, lots of new developments, cycle paths, walking paths, close to both semi-rural areas and busier roads, hospital and petrol station/takeaways close by.

Yes, I do.

I regularly worked late into the evening in my home city and walked about it and the suburbs getting home.

I have recently moved solo to a different EU capital, which also involves working later than normal office hours, and always walk alone.

TBH because it's winter, if I work past 4:39, it's dark outside. But I only feel it's an "issue" (which it really isn't) when the main office empty out and footfall drops around 6pm - it used to be more like 7:30 but hasn't gone back to that since Covid.

Perfectly happy walking alone when dark!

How restricting if you don't!

Only happy walking around on my own at night if there's lots of other people around.

Yes but I live in a village.

I would think any human feels a bit unnerved walking in the dark dark, as opposed to street lighted, but I would do it. You have to be sensible and think of the odds of meeting an axe murderer - much more likely you trip and hurt your ankle.
Also it is seldom pitch dark, as your eyes become accustomed the moon lights your way.

No , I won't walk on my own in the dark.

No I don't feel that way. Tbh I don't let myself feel that way, it's dark at 4pm in the winter so it's not like I have a choice anyway!

It depends where I am. I willoften go for a walk around the housing estate where I live. I feel safe doing that, or sometimes I'll go to the local shopping centre and walk around the outside. It's well lit and there is security.
I wouldnt go walking alone in the park or somehwere with no one aorund after dark

I feel safe where I live, definitely. I'm not going to push my luck by walking down long, unlit footpaths but I'd happily walk anywhere in our village on my own in the dark.

When I lived in London and Manchester, I would feel a little nervous walking up very quiet residential streets not connected to a main road. And obviously there were areas I just wouldn't go to at night. But again overall I felt safe walking most places.

I think the time makes a difference. After midnight I'd probably feel nervous walking anywhere, just because few people have a "good reason" to be out that late.

Of course I walk around in the dark, children need picking up from school/ activities for a start. I'm not driving less than a km (unless it's a rare occasion I have stuff that's too heavy or bulky to walk with)

My quiet suburb is well lit, and doesn't have people loitering around. There aren't lairy pubs to create hotspots. There's a flow of people going about business such as running/ dog walking until around 11pm.

If I lived somewhere remote where it was only unlit NSL roads or fields, that would be different, and my hazard concern would be traffic and tripping. As it is, I tend to swerve unlit woods/ fields mainly for the trip hazard, but that's not particularly limiting. Admittedly startled pheasants can be pretty freaky!

There are patches of town I'd avoid where people loiter around drunk or under drugs. I wouldn't hang around a red light district (although did functionally walk through some in my student days without bother) because the chances of encountering someone with malicious intent increases.

Most places are fine though. I'm a bit more selective about sticking to better lighting and avoiding places that are hemmed in, but there's not a substantial restriction on where I go between light and dark. I did C25k late at night because it was when I could do it around childcare/ baby's feeds. My health would be far worse if I didn't walk/ run at night.

DM was very much women shouldn't walk here or there or at that time. What she taught me was secrecy.
It's very depressing that on the rare occasions that a woman is subject to assault by a stranger, response is often "what was she doing there at that time". Why should she not be going about her lawful business? Why don't commentators ask "why was there a violent man loitering around there at that time? How can society reduce the prevalence of violent (misogenistic) men?"

Disproportionate fear of over-emphisised risks that curtails choices harms women. It's a barrier to physical activity (functional or intended exercise) and reduces social outlets. There are places where risk of potential harm outweighs benefits, but most spaces have more benefit than harm.

I do go out at night both in suburban and city areas, at most times of day and night. I feel wary on quiet roads and on the kind of residential streets where gangs of kids hang about. I would be alert and prepared to cross the road or change route to avoid dodgy looking people. I haven't experienced any thing I would really class as dangerous but have had quite a few unpleasant encounters with groups of teenage lads or men shouting out of cars. I think the worst time of day is between school finishing time and about 7 pm. Later than that those kind of people don't tend to be out. To be honest I am more scared of antisocial behaviour such as having things thrown at me or being verbally abused, rather than a sexual assault, this purely based on the frequency of experiencing the former!

I live in south London and nothing would make me walk on my own after dark. I regularly work in the evenings and If I couldn't drive or get a taxi, then I would have stopped my job years ago. When I was still employed, rather that working as a consultant, we were regularly reminded to make sure our car doors were locked when we left evening meetings in some areas because of car jackings.

In my local area yes absolutely. In an area I wasn’t familiar with, no.

Statistically there may be more assaults on men. But plenty of us have been attacked and know that it does happen and we are at a significant disadvantage.
I do walk alone after dark. I feel OK in busy areas. But I am scared in more isolated areas.
Fwiw I was attacked on a dark afternoon. By a random stranger.
I have done womens self defence but I know from experience that the strength difference makes it next to useless - and I worry it gives women a false sense of safety.

I have been attacked three times by random strangers in the street. I know it happens.

Once I was attacked when walking alone late morning in full sun in a busy high street full of cars and people. Im not going to avoid going out in sun or to busy places because of this.

Once was when I was walking alone on a dark afternoon on a deserted footpath. Im not going to avoid going out in dark or quiet places because of this.

Once was when I was with my then boyfriend and he was attacked along with me. I’m not going to avoid going out with a man because of this.

If I did I’d be housebound. Except I’ve been attacked in my own home too so where should I go?