Is there a woman or girl alive who hasn't ever needed, used or asked for a male chaperone to feel or be safe in certain situations?

[SwordOfOmens]

I woke up and this was my first thought.

Fathers, brothers, uncles, partners, husbands, male friends...

I've had men pick me up from the pub or club, walk me home from my babysitting job, come with me late at night, accompanied me to pick my car up from the garage. Gone with me to look for the minster under the bed. Held my hand to make me feel safer. You name it!

It's just a normal part of being female.

So if TIMs are scared of using the male bathroom, they are welcome to ask for a male chaperone to make them feel safer. It's a massive inconvenience to us to need one at all!

I'm going to use this in my arguments on and offline.

Yep this is what I have heard about all 3 of these locations.

And I realised I lied - years ago in Moscow. At the end of my trip I was alone and could have really done with a male escort.

No, never. I grew up being abused by my mother so learnt that you can't trust anyone but yourself and to be really independent from a young age. I sometimes walk my teenage daughter places after dark, I'd never think to ask my dh to do it in my place, I feel just as capable as he is.

I think you've misread the question. In those circumstances you'd have a female chaperone.

I've never used or felt the need for a male one. Not when I lived in a tiny hamlet and walked across fields and through woods after dark, not when I lived in London (and regularly walked long distances at night because I hate buses), not when I've travelled around the world alone. I definitely wouldn't consider using a stranger as one - why would he be any safer than the random other men on the street?

And it's a totally impractical idea for public loos, unless you're proposing stationing an official one at the door of each one.

Yes I have I have already reported it to ask it to be withdrawn

Simple answer to the question in the thread title: yes, me.
[and many other posters, I see]

The idea of asking a man to 'protect' me from the threat of something bad most likely to be perpetrated by a man would be bizarre.

Like other posters, I learnt at an early age that even the most outwardly respectable men may be abusers or rapists. They may not be, of course, but I'm certainly not going to ask any of them to be a 'chaperone' in any situation.

I've always taken care of myself, and I try to be aware of other women around me in case they need support in a difficult situation.

I don't think it is a great argument tbh OP. I don't really recognise the situation and its relevance to the SC ruling.
People needing/ wanting someone to accompany them because they feel unsafe alone is a personality trait IMO. It's definitely not exclusive to women and I believe trans people very much feel this way too (rightly or wrongly) so I don't see how saying to a trans person 'yeah, welcome to my world' helps the understanding?

I honestly think never. The same as never been assaulted/harassed etc. I hope this stays true.

In the UK, Europe - never asked for any kind of chaperone, never felt the need. In some African and Asian countries - yes, been glad of having my brother or husband to hand on many occasions.

I was SA'd by a man in a women's changing rooms when I was 14. Ever since I've sought women and girls as chaperones to PROTECT me from men!

I do dislike the word chaperon/e here as well. Women might need protection or companionship but they don't need a guarantee of respectability that they would lack if unsupervised.

And a woman alone is not advertising her availability.

This is what I mean by gaslighty and oppressive.

Yes there are horrific crimes and women are targeted for some of them. But they aren’t a significant risk walking around in most areas. All sorts of horrendous things could happen on the street, at work, in your home. So telling women that they are in such danger for this one thing that they should change their plans or take on extra expense, pushing the fear mongering, increasing women’s anxiety, etc. is really unfair to women, even if it comes from your own place of fear and concern.

Never. I accept I've been lucky but never felt the need. I grew up and live in London and was gallivanting about on night buses in my teens and 20s, usually in my own after a night out.

Worst thing that happened was a creep put his hand on my thigh on the bus and I told him to stop and then moved.

Generally I was walking through busy spaces in Central London. Very little harassment, but then I was (and still am) a short-haired, small busted woman so I think most creeps didn't register me as female so left me alone.

I agree. We all know what can happen. We've seen the news. However, the risk of a woman being attacked and killed by a complete stranger is still tiny. I'm much more likely to be knocked over by a car, or killed in a car crash but that doesn't mean I will never drive again. If you think about all the things that could happen then you'd never leave the house - but hang on, many accidents happen in the house! So there are risks whatever you do.
I refuse to live in fear. I'm 50 and have walked wherever and whenever I want since I was 14/15. I've never had any hint of trouble.

I go out at all hours and in some very remote places and I've never once asked for a male chaperone, apart from in the last 2 years where in certain places I need my partner to come with me because of DOGS. It feels humiliating that I've never needed help or a chaperone to do the things I want to do and a domestic canine is the reason I need someone to accompany me to safety.

Please stop using 'chaperone'.

A chaperone is a person who supervises and controls a person (usually a young female) who is not trusted to behave properly when alone. Surely as feminists we can claim the right to be alone without overwatch.

If you feel you need or want a bodyguard or escort, call it a bodyguard or escort, but not a supervisor (particularly not a fucking MALE supervisor) there to make sure you behave yourself.

All butch lesbians I've dated fit this description.

Wrong thread?

I have asked a male friend to help with DIY or moving home as he owned a van. But I feel like I'm pretty independent in many ways.
I certainly don't feel unsafe simply catching a taxi home from wherever. I don't need a chaperone.

I guess I don't have siblings, and my dad died when I was a child. I have only male cousins but they're not close enough to ask to physically or emotionally help me with anything.
I wish they were women as I feel I'd be much more supported by them.

In need of adult supervision?

Adult male supervision at that. I really doubt it.

Uhm, I can think of a few girlfriends that applies to, yes! 😂

I haven't. When as a child I had lifts anywhere it could just as well have been mum rather than dad and it was for convenience really rather than protection. Grew up on council estates. Travelled abroad with female friends. Went to festivals with female friends. Loved in London in my 20s, never wanted or needed a male chaperone. In my 40s regularly walk home from friends houses and the station after midnight.

I have definitely asked. I attended a conference with my bf (now dh) and he had to walk me to where the hotel I was staying at was because there were a group of guys that kept staring at me looking shifty. I've also picked up the phone and alerted my dad when I felt unsafe as a teen. One time I almost asked a complete stranger who lives in my neighbourhood to walk me across the road because a man was aggressively begging and not leaving anyone that walked past him. It's sad but it was the unspoken rule that as a female walking home in the evening I have my keys in my hand, headphones off and looking over my shoulder. I've had my bum pinched on public transport by a man and i was a teen! I've been followed,horned at my men old enough to be my uncle. I grew up in London but I know its not a London thing.

That exact same scenario happened to me too, at the same age. I'm so sorry. Xx

Yes to Morocco.