"Normal" advice to not walk around at night in Bristol.

[Motherfunster]

As a Bristolan woman I was a bit put out by the police advice that there was no specif threat to women but to take the "normal" precautions of not walking around after dark on your own.I was taken aback at this as theirs nothing bloody normal about it.

I tried contacting the local reclaim the night people but to no avail.The local students need to be advised and the bloody clicky feminist of Bristol need to understand that this is issue that need to be addressed.

I cant do anything about it do to certain circumstances.A word in there shell fellow Feminist MNers please if posable.

If there was a reclaim the night march now, a lot of us would go on it.

Please do, thank you Butterfly, Im sick to the bloody back teeth with this.

Sorry dident read that properly, will do.

Just contacted the UK feminsta website.

I really think that the local branch are missing a beat here and not organizing a march.Was up Clifton the other week and there were blokes swaggering around enjoying the discomfort.Asholes.

Just wish the local lot would get there act together and stop being so bloody introspective.Fuck harmonized singing at each other and bloody get a march going.

There are loads of us who will.

As I say, I tried contacting the local feminist, clicky Bollox as I'm a 'Know' woman cartoonist in the area.

And I'm a bit too much of a old mummy to talk to the UWE crew I think.I had a look on the Femanista website earlier and saw theirs a limp statement about the Bristol situation from them on Wednesday.3 weeks after I tried talking to em.
Iv offered to donate a comic strip to give out to freshers on advice.
Banging head against wall.

I just think a prompt from someone who isn't me may help.

We need a fucking march here so badly.I rember when they were going up north in the 80s.(yes that old)

MNers get things done, I'm hoping someone may gee them up from on here.Fucked if I can shake them out of there harmonizing.

I agree with Riven. A couple of years ago, the was a murder on Clapham Common and the police advised men not to go there alone whilst they were hunting the culprit. Police also advise about things like locking your house, not leaving valuables in plain sight in your car etc, but that doesn't mean they are condoning burglary.

I agree with you but starting a thread here slagging off the Bristol feminist groups isn't really a good way to get them on side.

Bristol Feminist Network has decided that a march is inappropriate given the circumstances that brought about this advice. Plus a reclaim the night march takes months of organising (eg route has to be agreed, police have to be advised of route as they provide extra support for it, there has to be publicity etc).

It was decided that a vigil might be more appropriate.

As for the police advice, Bristol Fawcett was in touch with the police when it came out and, following discussion with members of Bristol Fawcett, it has been revised. The advice to women of not going out alone after dark has been withdrawn by the police. I will post a link to the website where the revised advice has been posted when I get a chance.

Thank you for your words of support Sethstarkaddersmum. There has been a lot of emails flying around about this between the feminist groups in Bristol and, rather than missing a trick, we have had the advice revised and a considered decision on a RTN march has been made.

Here is a copy of the revised police advice that has replaced the previous text on their website.

Please do not assume that Bristol feminists are not doing anything about things like this. I know that several women in particular have worked hard and have used their contacts to ensure that the police reconsidered their advice. We are always looking for new members. If you'd like to be involved and take some actions and be informed about what we are doing, then please join us. I am proud of what Bristol Fawcett have achieved and it is disappointing to see people who don't know the full picture criticising us on a public forum.

Avon and Somerset Constabulary
www.avonandsomerset.police.uk Tel:0845 456 7000
Police reassure public in wake of
Joanna Yeates murder
The tragic murder of Joanna Yeates at Christmas time has touched us all.
There has been lots of speculation in the media, which you may find unsettling.
We urge the public to remain calm and assure you that everything possible is
being done to catch her killer.
A team of more than 80 officers and staff are working tirelessly on the
investigation, leaving no stone unturned.
All information from potential witnesses and the public is being carefully analysed
and followed up. Painstaking forensic examinations are also being carried out
as part of our work to piece together what happened to Jo, track down who is
responsible and bring them to justice.
Some people have asked how safe it is for them to go out at night and whether
they are at greater risk.
Clifton is a safe place to live, work and socialise. This tragic murder has
understandably unsettled the community and we are committed to solving it.
Understandably people may feel concerned, but it is important to emphasise that
this type of crime is extremely rare and there is at present no specific intelligence
or information to suggest an increased threat to your safety.
Patrols in the Clifton area have been increased to reiterate this message and give
reassurance.
We want people to continue with their usual routines, use common sense and
follow normal safety advice. For example, take the normal precautions when
walking home alone at night. As we advise everyone across the force area,
householders should keep their premises secure and take care when answering
the door to someone you?re not expecting.
We are still appealing for information ? no matter how
small or insignificant it may seem. Your help and support is
really appreciated.
Jonathan Stratford
Chief Superintendent
Personal safety advice
l Take sensible precautions if you?re walking home alone in the dark.
l If you?re out and going to be late, think about how you?re going to get
home. For example, think about pre-booking a taxi or arranging a lift
with a friend or family member.
l Be aware of your surroundings. Remember things like MP3 players can
be distracting.
l When going to your car or home, have your keys ready at hand.
l Keep your home secure and take precautions when answering the door
to someone you?re not expecting - leave the chain on and check their
identity.
Can you help?
Joanna Yeates, aged 25, went missing from
her home in Clifton, Bristol on Friday 17th
December. She was last seen in the Clifton
village area and called in at several shops
on her way home to Canynge Road.
Her body was found at 9am on Christmas
Day 2010 at a roadside verge off Longwood
Lane, Failand, by a local couple who were
walking their dog.
If you have any information which could
help the investigation please contact the

Operation Braid incident room online at

www.avonandsomerset.police.uk/jo

or call 0845 456 7000.
Avon and Somerset Constabulary
Working together to make the communities of Avon and Somerset feel safe and be safe
www.avonandsomerset.police.uk Tel:0845 456 7000

It seems like perfectly sensible advice to me, if i lived in Bristol i wouldn't be walking anywhere after dark unless i was with a bunch of other people, until this nutter was caught.

That's just not practical for all women lemonmuffin. After dark is after 6pm at this time of year, and what about all the thousands of women in Bristol who don't finish work until after that?

Stick to the busy areas then? When i said after dark i meant late at night really, say after midnight when the streets are more likely to be deserted

She wasn't attacked on a deserted street at midnight though, was she?

But how can you stick to busy areas if you live or work in a side street? And Joanna Yeates went missing at about 8pm, not at midnight.

lemon th point is why SHOULD we HAVE to stick to the busy areas? We should be able to go anywhere we bloody want to!

I wonder how many Bristol women were attacked by their partners in their own homes in the last month - haven't heard any police advice regarding that.

The problem with making statement such as women should stick to busy areas, not go out at night, is that it is putting the blame onto women, and almost like saying that women who are attacked on deserted streets at midnight, well it's their own fault isn't it.

We should be able to go anywhere, of course, but the reality is that there is a murderer still out there and safety, for me, is much much more important than principles.

Its not putting blame onto women at all, i think you;re reading far too much into it, it's saying to women 'take care, don't make it any easier for this nutter' and i would be perfectly happy to take this advice.