Women alone in london

[Motomum23]

So I'm taking my 13 year old daughter to London in August to see blackpink - she's excited - I'm looking forward to some 1 to 1 time with her. We live in rural Cornwall and my husband is convinced I ought to be packing pepper spray and an attack alarm for our 1 evening using the tubes.... please someone tell me he's being absurd and plenty of women traverse London alone these days - my sister went to King's and I'd often visit her by train and we would enjoy ourselves in the city when I was 15 but apparently I'm insane because now its so much more dangerous!!!!

You don’t need the 4 million female Londoners telling you how they live their lives, just tell your DH not to be so idiotic.

The whole ‘London is dangerous’ thing makes me cross, actually.

I have travelled on London transport and through London streets most days since aged 11 (I am now 50!) and have never witnessed an attack or even a phone or bag snatch. Keep your wits about you and your valuables zipped up, you’ll be fine. Have a lovely time!

Where are you staying and how long do you have?

One of the great aspects of London's business is feeling safe in how public and well-lit most areas feel.

Enjoy your one on one time with your daughter, it's precious. With empathy for you both, allow your husband to hold & manage his own anxiety. We've all been there!

Lots of people walk around with their phones out alot, to follow directions, chat, take photos, rent an ebike etc

London’s not dangerous.

You will be fine. Wembley stadium swarms with police and stewards on event days and the there'll be 60-odd thousand other people on public transport.
Are you staying in Central London?

Just don't wave your phone around in the street.

Also, he's a total foolpiece encouraging you to commit a crime.

It's not legal to carry pepper spray in the UK.

London is very safe. Which areas are you planning to visit? Assuming you mean central, I honestly wouldn’t be worried at all.

But people do

oh bless him ! 😂

Better not pack pepper spray!
You'll be arrested.
Seriously, problems of the sort he means can happen ANYWHERE so take usual precautions, but statistically you're more likely to be "attacked" in a Cornish village than on Oxford Street in London!

Pleeeeease ask your DH what he thinks the millions of us poor, unprepared women in London do every day? Does he think we all live in fear of our lives?

For clarity I would never actually carry pepper spray I'm more than aware it's illegal! We are staying in central London and will take the train to Wembley but I'm planning on taking her to the shops before we head back to Cornwall (dh doesn't know that yet)... thanks to all those who have replied with personal experience clarifying they don't carry around personal protective items. I expect he watches too much news and thinks a crowd these days is a half full bag of crisps.

Your husband is crazy. It’s one of the safest cities in the world. Does he think people living here walk around armed?

Does your dh not cross the tamar any more?

Your husband is bonkers. I happily walk alone at night city's are safer than rural areas as there are always people about.

Get his phone and block the DM website. He’s been reading all the Lawless London headlines 🙄

Yes I actually think he might think you are all armed these days... stange how much of a country bumpkin he's turned into since we moved from a city.

I live in a London borough and to be honest,I feel safer travelling in London than I do a lot of places outside London. And I say that as a disabled person,who is probably more vulnerable.

Are you kidding bodmin is too far north!

I live here and it's fine! The biggest risk is probably having your phone stolen out of your hand by a person on a bike, so just be aware of using your phone out and about.

I thought this was going to be about 13 year old girls travelling alone, not an adult accompanying them?!

I live in London and travel around on own all the time (I'm also originally from the countryside). My daughter who is 18 now has been taking the tube alone since she was 14 and all good. Just keep your wits about you as you would it any new situation.

Enjoy your time here :)

London is really safe.

I am the most protective mother ever, but have never worried about my teen daughter travelling on public transport alone in the evening. On the other hand, I would worry about her walking alone in a rural area, even in the daytime.