Yet another rapist and yet another 'women should stay inside' response.

[Mytwopenceworth]

so so

Just caught a news report about a rapist on the prowl, and the official advice is for women to not go out alone after, think it was 9pm (was listening from kitchen, so didn't catch it all).

That makes me so bloody angry. Yet another sick f*ckwit and women are supposed to cower in their homes, or go out escorted!! Bloody male police who think this is the best course of action! Put a bloody curfew on men, not women. Why is it every time they say women should be restricted in this way? Get police on the street and arrest any man out after 8pm without aproval and escort him home. THAT'S what they should stuffing well do.

And I know, the rapist will just hide and go out anyway and women have to be responsible for their own safety and a million more justifications and I suppose they're true and maybe sensible, but it still makes me feel angry that men commit these crimes but its women who have to alter their lives. Yet more power to the rapists. x a million!!!! - I wish there was a steam coming out of ears emoticon!

[JustThinking]

Message withdrawn

[QueenOfQuotes]

ermm well yes they would actually Justthinking - lots of people choose to walk alone at night.

[Gobbledigook]

Well said Hercules (1.40pm) - I was a bit amazed at this thread too but couldn't quite think how to phrase what I wanted to say - you did it well.

[hercules]

No one is saying women shouldnt get drunk at night but she's pretty stupid if she does so knowing she has to travel home alone at night.

[Caligula]

I agree that women and men should take precautions (it's common sense), but I also think police advice should be consistent. Why is it OK to tell women to avoid walking at night but not to tell Londoners and tourists not to use the underground? No one has properly explained the difference and I'm still wondering about the consistency issue.

[hercules]

I guess it's impractical and nigh on impossible for people to avoid the underground so pointless giving that advice.

[Caligula]

Whereas for 50% of the population in a local area, it is practical not to go out alone?

Hmmm...

[jampots]

about 4 or 5 years ago a girl was raped in the park at teh end of my road at about 5.30pm on a winters evening. She was walking down a main road which was chocabloc full of traffic heading into and out of Solihull. The guy pulled her into the park which of course was dark. The same man (apparently) then proceeded some months later to attack a young lady in broad daylight yet again on a very busy residential road and frogmarched her at knifepoint to some garages where he ripped her jeans off before being disturbed. This man was an well built black guy over 6'2" and at teh time there was only one black family in the vicinity so that family were hounded for months by people thinking it was the eldest son.

[hercules]

Not saying that but most people work during the day and it's surely advising women going out at night to not go alone.

[hercules]

The advise was for after 9pm.

[Caligula]

After 9pm now because of the season. But in December, if they haven't found this gang, it gets dark at 4pm.

[QueenOfQuotes]

Caligula - most people I know if they go out on the town (even if they're underage) go out with friends. There are ALWAYS taxis available (and in some bigger places buses too).

[hercules]

It advises women not to go out alone after 9pm. I guess if you are going out you either ignore the advise or go with someone.

[QueenOfQuotes]

The advice didn't specify a time - simply said "after dark"

[CarlyP]

WHERE WERE HER PARENTS ??

WHERE DID THEY THINK THEIR 15YO DAUGHTER WAS?

[hercules]

Lots of 15 year olds go out and parents dont know exactly where they are. I certainly did.

[Heathcliffscathy]

totally aggree my2pworth. what also has my ears steaming is that i get slaughtered for suggesting that feminism isn't obsolete as we have a long way to go....same women who say this to me wouldn't walk around late at night....i hate that i feel afraid to walk around late at night in the streets in which i live...and i'm lucky, i can afford to take cabs/drive

this advice is discriminatory not just to women but especially poor women that can't afford cabs/don't have cars....so basically they should stay at home? grrrr

[Gobbledigook]

Regarding the underground - this is now heavily policed and is under constant surveillance so I guess the chance of another bomb actually going off is slim. Plus, it's not very practical to advise such large numbers of people to avoid the tube.

Regarding the rapist - he is probably likely to attack again and police are won't focus such resource manning the street because a)they don't know exactly where he would strike, b)awful as it sounds, I suppose they don't focus the effort to protect one person (the next victim) as they would carriage loads of people who might be on a tube, and c)it is practical to ask women to be on their guard and perhaps avoid finding themselves alone on the street late at night.

That's how I see it anyway, not sure if it makes sense.

I'd have thought it would be pretty easy to avoid finding yourself alone on streets late at night though.

[Heathcliffscathy]

i take the point that men are even more vulnerable than women to being beaten up....that's the difference though isn't it, my dh isn't worried about walking home late at night....

[Heathcliffscathy]

nor is he advised not to.

[QueenOfQuotes]

Here's the exact advice the police are giving (taken from the Northans Police website)

Message of Reassurance

While we do not want to cause any unnecessary fear or panic, there are a number of messages and appeals we would like to make:

• We are asking all females, wherever possible, to avoid being out alone at night or in the early hours of the morning
  
  
• Use your commonsense to keep yourself safe ? plan your evening out, including organizing any transport arrangements, in advance, and avoid engaging in conversation with strangers

[hercules]

But if it was men being raped the advice would be to men. I really dont think they consider rich/poor when they give out this advice. The police are simply trying to lesse the risk to women.

Surely women would be outraged if a woman got raped and didnt realise there was a local rapist.

No one is forcing anyone to do anything.

[Gobbledigook]

At the end of the day - the advice is there and it's up to you if you take it or if you take the risk. I'm not sure what alternative you expect??

[QueenOfQuotes]

"this advice is discriminatory not just to women but especially poor women that can't afford cabs/don't have cars."

ermm sorry if they can afford to go out drinking/clubbing then they can afford a taxi IMO.

And there's nothing to stop them going out with friends the advice is ALONE

[hercules]

Seems very reasonale advice to me.

My dh is very wary of going anywhere alone at night.