Meet the Other Phone. Child-safe in minutes.

Meet the Other Phone.
Child-safe in minutes.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To be so annoyed about the dangers of being a woman?

474 replies

Givemeanamethen · 10/08/2025 22:06

I like to run or go for long walks. I ususally listen to music or books or whatever.

There are some lovely long circular routes near me through woods and along streams. I do do them, but am always slightly on edge because it’s so big that you can go a while without seeing anyone, and if I pass a man I can’t help but think ‘if I was attacked here no one would hear’. I try and do these at busy times, be finished before it starts getting dark and I’d never do it in the rain because of how quiet it would be. It irritates me that men, of course, won’t have to consider any of this.

Tonight, I didn’t have time to go there so did a four mile route from my house. It’s pretty and got a ruralise atmosphere but the roads are relatively busy, for a Sunday night, and there are plenty of houses. I don’t ususally worry at all on this route.

But this evening, some fucking dickhead cycled up behind me, on the path instead of the road, and shouted right in my ear, clearly to try and frighten me and embarrass me, then he and his friend cycled away.

I’m so angry that I can’t even go on a walk without men getting a buzz out of harassing me.

Not even really sure what my AIBU is but I’m so angry that I could cry.

OP posts:
Thread gallery
9
Givemeanamethen · 11/08/2025 09:27

LillyPJ · 11/08/2025 07:15

Yes - the idea that women shouldn't walk alone in rural areas always amuses me. The chances of some random attacker lurking in the bushes hoping somebody will come their way are approaching zero. You're probably more likely to injure yourself at home making dinner.

There was a random person waiting to run up behind me to scare me yesterday.

OP posts:
Topsyturvy78 · 11/08/2025 09:27

Most men we come across when out and about are friendly. They are usually dog walkers and say hello when we pass them. We were at a local pond a couple of weeks back. 3 teen lads had mini motorbikes they stopped and let me and DD pass DD has obvious disabilities. I said thank you one of them said it's all right. We do come across some not so friendly cyclists though. Who get annoyed they have to slow down because we're on the path.

usedtobeaylis · 11/08/2025 09:32

CandiedPrincess · 11/08/2025 08:41

I've encountered shit, majority of us have. I refuse to live my life in fear though. I just (blindly) get on with my life. I'm not going to avoid walking through the fields or the woods in case someone is hiding in the bushes, because the likelihood is, they aren't.

As other PPs have also said, I am concerned for my DS as much as I am my DD.

Nobody is asking you to do any of those things, they're talking about women who do, and that when they do its largely based on experience. I don't know why you all can't just acknowledge that for what it is.

SquishedMallow · 11/08/2025 09:35

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Untrue : the lot of it. Luckily other posters can clearly see who the problems are on this thread and newsflash: it's not me. I've got a considerable amount of 'likes' on my posts so I don't think your personal attack (which I've reported by the way ) is the 'gotcha' you think it is

usedtobeaylis · 11/08/2025 09:35

ToxicTeaching · 11/08/2025 09:21

Not downplaying it, no. But men are rarely concerned with these matters and how they impact men until women want to talk about how it impacts them.

And rather than listen to and understand women, they talk about themselves.

And I am more than happy for men to talk about their experiences of male violence but they rarely want to until and unless women talk about their experiences of it.

They rarely want to know what they, as individual men or as part of men in general, can do to make women in general feel safer.

I have no problem with women who don't feel wary or scared. That is their experience. But many of those women are quick to deny the experience of women who do feel wary or scared. Why is that?

I would love to know the answer to this. There are always women dying to jump in and obstruct other women talking about and worse, doing something about, the things that affect their lives purely because they have a different view or experience. It's the height of arrogance.

Teasloth · 11/08/2025 09:35

Givemeanamethen · 10/08/2025 22:42

What risk does a 16 stone, 6ft 2 man have walking past a lone man in a deserted part of a wood whilst running. What risk?

Teach your sons to make sure they say hello, or cross the road whilst following a woman, or to pretend to talk loudly on the phone if behind them to alert the woman that they’re there and are (probably) no danger (just found out my partner does this if he ends up walking behind a woman whilst going home after the pub shuts and was pathetically impressed).

My son is only 13 but I've already taught him this. I teach him to cross over, never walk behind a woman on her own, to stop and pretend he's answering a message so she can go past and see he's not following etc.
I hate that I have to teach him that so young.

I also hate that as a teen lad he is also very vulnerable from gangs of boys also. I have seen him walking ahead of me before and a lad on a bike pull in front of him to try and intimidate him.

The streets are not safe at the moment but as a solo female parent he's grown up knowing I won't walk alone at night etc so at least has some idea how horrible it is for women, which I hope will help him be respectful and mindful when he's older

GlassTube · 11/08/2025 09:37

CallItLoneliness · 11/08/2025 09:24

Not around to be blamed for it if someone murders us, are we? We won't get asked if we wanted to be murdered, really, either. If a woman is raped while running in a rural area, or even a busy area that was quiet at the time, she will be asked why she was there, and possibly also whether her attire meant she was asking for it. The legal presumption of innocence is often translated to 'she has to prove she didn't want it, even though he jumped out of the bushes', rather than having any rational thought around it. The chance of a conviction if she reports is about 1%. And 1/4 women are raped in their lifetime. Murder is clearly awful and none of us want it, but if we are raped, it damages us very badly, and we are unlikely to be believed, or even seen as real victims. We have been taught all our lived that rape is our responsibility to prevent. So yes, rape is what we think about.

Sorry but I don't think that statistic is true, 1 in 4 women are raped.
I quickly had a google

  • Using US stats because those are the ones I found quickly
  • Taking the 'National Sexual Violence Resource Center' stats - (note that this organisation will have institutional incentive to overstate the stats as much as possible)
  • They report 1 in 5 women experience 'completed or attempted rape' in their lifetime - so this is already smaller than 1 in 4 and crucially is not just rape but also 'attempted rape'
  • Then, looking into the definition of 'attempted rape', it also includes 'completed drug/alcohol facilitated penetration' which would cover a drunk husband having sex with a drunk wife without explicitly asking consent

... I didn't look into the report further but I strongly suspect that the more you drill into the details, the wider the definition is and the less true it is that 1 in 4 is raped.

I do think it's really important to be fact-based about this, because fear based on bad stats is debilitating to women

Iloveeverycat · 11/08/2025 09:41

PringlesTube · 10/08/2025 22:41

I don't think women are at any greater risk than men.

seriously?

Why is it then when women are asked would they rather come across a bear or a man in the woods most would choose a bear.

abs12 · 11/08/2025 09:42

SquishedMallow · 10/08/2025 22:55

As to your original dilemma op. Stop dragging your knuckles. I can see how pent up you are by how absolutely unnecessarily rude you were to @Yabberwok . Totally uncalled for. And all the 'centring yourself ' rubbish doesn't wash.

You can spend your life being angry. Or you could accept that life is unfair, it'll never be fair. It was never promised to be. Ants get stood on every day and killed with ant powder because we see them as smaller and therefore less worthy than a cat or dog or ladybird or any other bigger creature. Is that fair ? Nope. But there we are.

Women are smaller, weaker, more vulnerable. Always have been, always will be.

Most men are awesome. Some are predatory or misogynistic bastards. But they're stronger than us. Therefore we have to take measures to protect ourselves. Not take unnecessary risks like running in the dark in the woods on our own.

The statistics of something terrible happening are probably rather low. Let's not exaggerate. But if it did happen, you'd stand way less chance than a male. That's your survival instinct kicking in. It's just the way we're wired up. To protect our survival. And men are a threat to us: theoretically.

You can spend the rest of your life being angry and blaming every innocent male or you can risk assess and just get on with your life.

You have absolutely missed the point.

You realise we shouldn't have to take measures to protect ourselves. Why the fuck should we? Men do not have to be so cautious. More women get raped than men. More women get intimidated out and about than men. We can't even reasonably fight back, men can. But hang on, that's the extreme end, the verbal abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation women are subjected to on a daily basis from men is in no way matched by men's vulnerability.

And while I respect what yabberwok was trying to say I can't respect other women coming onto this thread and trying to minimise another women's lived and very real fear. You might not agree, fine but that suggests you haven't had the same experiences. Lucky you, because many, many women have. You are therefore not qualified to comment or in a place to belittle OP. Find another thread.

SquishedMallow · 11/08/2025 09:43

BreatheAndFocus · 11/08/2025 07:50

YANBU. Men make our worlds smaller - because we’re forced to constrain ourselves due to the risk of violence.

As an example, there’s a beautiful walk near me. It’s about a mile along a river on the edge of town, all gently wooded, then across a bridge and back along the other side of the river, where you join a short road back into the town. Lovely!

Well, it was. I haven’t walked that walk for almost 6 months - because two fucking twats of men sexually assaulted a female dog walker there 😡 That walk used to have lots of regular women walking their dogs there, sometimes with their young children, but now there are none - literally none. This beautiful walk has been taken from us.

Every time I think of a nice place to go that’s more rural, the first thing in my head is men. Men fucking everywhere, ruining life for everyone else. Just the threat of them constrains us. And no, I’m not going to ‘be brave’ and not let them. The woman who was attacked was just like me, walking in the middle of the day with two dogs. She took no risks. It’s not her fault.

it makes me SO angry. I dream of this all being changed (by curfews? geotags?) so we can have bigger world, free to walk in woods, in the evening, to jog in the countryside, to walk home from an evening out - without the ever-present threat of men.

You're letting information that's out there feed your negative world view. We can all do that about a multitude of things. I was just talking to a man that says his mother spent her life angry and hating on "Germans" because her husband was killed by one in the war (as were many poor innocents) . It's our choice what narratives we feed ourselves and what information we use to add to that view to confirm it. You stated you were "angry" : if that's the way you wish to live your life that's ok. But it's not necessarily healthy or beneficial long term.

Topsyturvy78 · 11/08/2025 09:45

RoseAlone · 11/08/2025 03:24

I can't stand people who put earphones in when walking, cycling or running. It's completely inconsiderate and just plain stupid. People have to be able to hear what's going on around them and choose not to.

Agree and don't get me started on those who talk on Bluetooth when out walking/running. At first I thought they were talking to themself. Elderly people get confused thinking they are talking to them.

Gofaster2023 · 11/08/2025 09:49

What a nasty thread. I'm a white middle class female but I know what it's like to have no money. I'm relatively slim but I know what it's like to have no body confidence and an eating disorder. Heaven forbid a man suggests he knows what it is like to feel intimidated by another man. Jesus. What a nasty pile on to a nice sounding man who was just trying to empathise with you.

CircularMotionDementedThrustingGuy · 11/08/2025 09:58

SquishedMallow · 11/08/2025 09:35

Untrue : the lot of it. Luckily other posters can clearly see who the problems are on this thread and newsflash: it's not me. I've got a considerable amount of 'likes' on my posts so I don't think your personal attack (which I've reported by the way ) is the 'gotcha' you think it is

Ooooo. Sorry hard I got reported off I go to the naughty step 😂

ah, the famous gotcha line. Original.

your comments regularly get deleted anyway, so report away. 😂

CircularMotionDementedThrustingGuy · 11/08/2025 10:01

Gofaster2023 · 11/08/2025 09:49

What a nasty thread. I'm a white middle class female but I know what it's like to have no money. I'm relatively slim but I know what it's like to have no body confidence and an eating disorder. Heaven forbid a man suggests he knows what it is like to feel intimidated by another man. Jesus. What a nasty pile on to a nice sounding man who was just trying to empathise with you.

I think women get offended because the scenarios aren't comparable. Men cannot get raped. There is a global pandemic of violence towards women and girls. There isn't a pandemic of violence towards men.

women can rarely have a safe space to discuss freely, without men coming in and either comparing, or telling their experiences, which don't compare frankly.

no one is saying men don't go through problems, or that ALL men are the problem. But men are safer than women and there's no doubt in that.

Nchangeo · 11/08/2025 10:01

Hobbes8 · 10/08/2025 22:57

The replies to this thread have gone so weird so quickly. Can’t we complain about being scared whilst out running without having to give endless disclaimers and apologies about not all men are attackers, men are scared too…

Why cant we just talk about ourselves and what we are worried about? Why shouldn’t we be fucking angry?

Because Reddit is here now.

cheesycheesy · 11/08/2025 10:03

CircularMotionDementedThrustingGuy · 11/08/2025 10:01

I think women get offended because the scenarios aren't comparable. Men cannot get raped. There is a global pandemic of violence towards women and girls. There isn't a pandemic of violence towards men.

women can rarely have a safe space to discuss freely, without men coming in and either comparing, or telling their experiences, which don't compare frankly.

no one is saying men don't go through problems, or that ALL men are the problem. But men are safer than women and there's no doubt in that.

wtf men can and do get raped

cheesycheesy · 11/08/2025 10:03

Gofaster2023 · 11/08/2025 09:49

What a nasty thread. I'm a white middle class female but I know what it's like to have no money. I'm relatively slim but I know what it's like to have no body confidence and an eating disorder. Heaven forbid a man suggests he knows what it is like to feel intimidated by another man. Jesus. What a nasty pile on to a nice sounding man who was just trying to empathise with you.

Lots of women on mn hate men for just existing

Deboragh · 11/08/2025 10:04

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Yet another entitled twat mansplaining, obviously doesn't understand the concept of invading women's spaces.

SquishedMallow · 11/08/2025 10:04

CircularMotionDementedThrustingGuy · 11/08/2025 09:58

Ooooo. Sorry hard I got reported off I go to the naughty step 😂

ah, the famous gotcha line. Original.

your comments regularly get deleted anyway, so report away. 😂

They really don't. You're a trouble maker with a Vendetta. Stop commenting to me. I really aren't interested in your personal attacks. (I don't think anyone else particularly is either ) You're showing yourself up.

SquishedMallow · 11/08/2025 10:06

cheesycheesy · 11/08/2025 10:03

Lots of women on mn hate men for just existing

This is the truth. Probably why all the particularly depressing 'gender disappointment ' threads are always about baby boys. They probably feel their mothers hatred from pre birth.

FluffyWabbit · 11/08/2025 10:06

Givemeanamethen · 11/08/2025 09:19

A man would never think twice about running with headphones in. I’m not going to stop using them, it is a pleasure I refuse to give up due to men.

Hm. My male Krav Maga instructor doesn't wear headphones due to safety considerations and gave this advice to both me and DH.

tumblingdowntherabbithole · 11/08/2025 10:08

abs12 · 11/08/2025 09:42

You have absolutely missed the point.

You realise we shouldn't have to take measures to protect ourselves. Why the fuck should we? Men do not have to be so cautious. More women get raped than men. More women get intimidated out and about than men. We can't even reasonably fight back, men can. But hang on, that's the extreme end, the verbal abuse, sexual harassment and intimidation women are subjected to on a daily basis from men is in no way matched by men's vulnerability.

And while I respect what yabberwok was trying to say I can't respect other women coming onto this thread and trying to minimise another women's lived and very real fear. You might not agree, fine but that suggests you haven't had the same experiences. Lucky you, because many, many women have. You are therefore not qualified to comment or in a place to belittle OP. Find another thread.

Edited

It’s not minimising to give your own experience and to say you can’t relate to X, Y or Z for whatever reason. If you want the negative experiences to be heard and understood, you also have to be willing to hear the other side too, otherwise it’s just an echo chamber.

There are plenty of women out there who don’t feel afraid, who haven’t been assaulted or groped or threatened and their experiences are just as valid as yours. I 100% believe every single woman who says she is scared, or feels unsure, or who limits their life because of the actions of men - I can’t relate, but I believe them.

Instead of shouting them down and telling them they’re lucky, or ignorant or minimisers, why not give them the same courtesy as you want for yourselves and listen?

BeagleSkunk · 11/08/2025 10:11

Loving the amount of women minimising or invalidating the viewpoint of a man like women have the monopoly on fear.

It’s a human emotion, we all feel it, no one gets to claim that they have it worse simply because of their gender.

I’d far rather have more men normalising their fears and concerns around attacks.

FreezeDriedStrawberries · 11/08/2025 10:12

I think it's being an arsehole thing, not necessarily being a bloke thing.
Had someone come up behind me the other week saying something like "just walking past you now to go in front, don't want to scare you" which I thought was really nice and considerate.
I get why people can feel nervous, but personally I think you can't go around feeling scared to go anywhere. With that mindset you'd be too scared to get into a car in case something happened.

SquishedMallow · 11/08/2025 10:12

BeagleSkunk · 11/08/2025 10:11

Loving the amount of women minimising or invalidating the viewpoint of a man like women have the monopoly on fear.

It’s a human emotion, we all feel it, no one gets to claim that they have it worse simply because of their gender.

I’d far rather have more men normalising their fears and concerns around attacks.

Unfortunately it's a common 'shut up' and instant conversation stopper that's grown in popularity. It's a weapon.

Thank god , the sensible voices on here are not letting this movement shut them down.

Swipe left for the next trending thread