AIBU to not let Y7 DD walk home in the dark?

[Floorfeelslikelava]

DD has over the last 6 months started walking home from school (with friends). She’s sensible and whilst it’s light, I’m comfortable that this is a perfectly age-appropriate thing to do.

Now that the clocks have gone back, however, I am reluctant to let her walk home in the dark. She usually finishes school clubs at 5.30. Whilst it’s only actually about ten minutes’ walk, it’s down a very dark, quiet side street and there are stretches which are pretty much pitch black. Her friends are still doing it, and DH thinks it’s fine, but I feel very uncomfortable about the idea. I was attacked in my 20s so I’m not sure whether my view is unreasonable. Would you be letting your Y7 DD walk home in the dark under these circumstances?

5.30pm yes to walking ,10pm no, mine wouldn't have a choice at that age as I'd be travelling home from work.

I wouldn’t walk down completely dark streets myself as a grown woman, and I certainly would not want my 11/12 year old to do it. If there is no well-lit detour I would pick her up.

I think it is fine for a Year 7-- okay it's dark but it's the same time of day.

This is the time to start building her independence, and she herself feels comfortable

A lot depends on the individual girl and in fact this still applies to grown women. If your kid is ballsy and confident, and you feel that she would be able to shout at or run away from someone approaching her, then it may be ok. If your kid is meek and shy and would just freeze, or comply with whatever anyone asked her to do, then she's not mature enough to be out in potentially dodgy situations by herself.

Same for a grown woman. If you massively struggle with assertiveness, or you're particularly small and weak, you would be silly to walk through a dodgy city centre at 2am. If you are streetwise and a black belt in brazilian jiu jitsu, you might be fine.

I still don't let my 11 year old get the public bus by himself, because there are sometimes gangs of teens on there and he is an incredibly shy kid who would literally go along with anything. This is just common sense in my opinion!

"Same for a grown woman. If you massively struggle with assertiveness, or you're particularly small and weak, you would be silly to walk through a dodgy city centre at 2am. If you are streetwise and a black belt in brazilian jiu jitsu, you might be fine."

I'm small and weak and sadly will never be "big and strong" but I won't let that stop me walking through a city centre at 2am. Pretty sure I'm more likely to get killed in a car crash than get attacked by a random stranger.