Walking alone.

I don't get this thread. I have never been afraid to walk anywhere where there are pavements.

I don't really like walking alone in the country. Cows can run faster than I can

No, the majority of men would never dream of raping or assaulting a woman. Why should they suffer for the actions of a small minority. It is as bad as expecting women to obey a curfew in case they are attacked by that small minority.

"I'd quite like to see men on curfew, just so that maybe they'd understand how often women and girls lives are restricted."

Exactly!

I was brought up in the country. Sussex, Cheshire. Staffordshire etc. Got attacked many times. Had a police escort to school etc. Now I live in central London close to a canal. Went for a walk along the canal once and felt totally unsafe. A cyclist almost knocked me in the canal. A creep followed me into a quiet area. I am 68 so feel slightly vulnerable but am trained in self defence. I go to tai chi and was surprised to learn it's brilliant at self defence. I could hold off an attack by my 6'4" male teacher when he showed me how. Not sure how I would cope in real life but was attacked when about 35 in West Hampstead by a young man who tried to strangle me! In daylight after a trip to the butcher in a posh area! I screamed very loudly and as he attacked me from the back, I grabbed him from the neck intending to do a forward roll. He let go and ran off. I don't go out after dark or use Uber. My friend was raped by a black London taxi driver.

We ought to be free to walk in safety anywhere we choose, but being realistic about it, we must always be aware of our safety. My home is surrounded by beautiful woodland, but I never walk there alone. We have to be mindful of the fact that some people don't have the same morals, and will do us harm given a chance.

I often see women and girls out walking/cycling/jogging alone listening to music with headphones. A lovely thing to do, but how do they know who is near them?

I would walk more if I felt safer. I just don't feel comfortable walking alone through secluded places, though sadly they are the attractive, leafy places that you feel better for having been to.

Quite often, women are worried about being out late, whereas in fact, early morning is the dangerous time for sexual assaults.

I hate the way responsibility is put on girls and women. We're told not to be out after dark etc. I'd quite like to see men on curfew, just so that maybe they'd understand how often women and girls lives are restricted.

I've always been confident going anywhere alone, at any time. I know self-defence so reckon I could usually take care of myself. I often have the dog with me too.

It's a shame that the OP now is worried about going out. Perhaps she could arrange with a friend or neighbour to share walks and/or offer to walk a local dog. We shouldn't let the fear of crime stop us enjoying ourselves.

The problem is that these crimes are not taken seriously.

They will keep happening till the perpetrators get away with their actions in such a easy manner.

They got bail and I've heard no more about it.

kircubbin2000 that is truly awful! Where do you live? When I lived in London I knew where not to walk alone at night without a bunch of keys in my hand ready and armed! That poor little girl. Horrendous. I just hope they don't get off with a pat on the head and a social worker because "they came from a broken home"! What a world we are living in.

Something similar happened where I lived in SW England in the mid 1970s. The young girl (15) was raped by a gang of youths when she walked home from babysitting. She screamed for help and the adult men that she thought came to help her also raped her.

I tend to agree with Monica that these events are actually quite rare. I also have some self defence knowledge and I certainly stay alert but I think it's a shame to feel that we can't enjoy a walk or cycle ride on our own.

shouldnt

Ive just bought myself a lovely second hand bicycle, I can get on the canal path about 100 yds away from my home and could cycle to my mums about 4 mile away along the canal then on the disused railway line.

I have done it fe times before and its been lovely, I stop for a drink etc.

But recent events in my home town Accrington have put paid to it all.

You may have well seen or heard of it,A woman in her 40s was last seen walking down a busy main road at around 16:30 and wasn't seen again until approx 2 weeks later where they discovered her body in the nearby cemetery, a 16 yr old boy has been arrested charged with her murder.

Sometimes I think!! what the hell, why should we be able to walk where we want...but I wouldn.t want my family to go through what her family are going through.

It really is a sad world.

I feel so sad for the young girl who was raped, how do you ever get over such a vile Act. A few months ago whilst reading gransnet an advert popped up for a personal alarm called Safesound ,I ordered some for my dil,dd,gds ,a friend and myself ,the total cost was seventy pounds including postage I have not received them and have been unable to contact the company by email so know now that I have been scammed so lim posting this as a warning to you all not to fall for the very convincing advert

What a truly dreadful experience for this poor girl, at least they have arrested those involved.

These events make the news because they are rare occurences. I walk alone in town or countryside, always have, always will. That is not to say that I am unaware or unbothered by such occurences nor unaware of the risks.

I always have my phone and keep alert, my worst experience in the rural area we currently live in has been a woman with two visibly strong bulldog type animals, both wearing muzzles, she was having great difficulty controlling them. They leapt at me and one hit my arm hard enough to bruise it.

As well as keys in my pocket (I was taught how to use those as a weapon by a police officer) I also always carry a pair of secateurs for cutting back brambles and other plants, which could be put to other uses if necessary. I would also not hesitate to put my knee somewhere painful if required. I can still run at a reasonable speed if needed.

When I was a town dweller, I always avoided back alleys, riverside paths and commercial areas after dark and kept to well lit well used streets.

She is 15. They have arrested a 28 year old and 18 and 19. They will probably get off.

I walk to my allotment through a large park, never feel unsafe there. When my lovely dog was alive I used to take her down there at about 6 in the evening and sometimes at 10 at night. Nobody nasty ever approached me, but she was a Great Dane!

I walk practically every day as its a nice 30 min walk into town - usually along our canal but I pick my time now. I found some days I was the only person around and began to get a bit anxious. I always take my bank cards out of my purse and put them in my jeans pocket. They can have my bag but not my cards (so much hassle to replace them). A Sunday morning was one of the days I became worried as I saw a guy approaching who was obviously still hung-over from the night before and making his way home. I think you definitely need to take care these days.

I walk most days too but always stick to streets. We have a canal at the back of the house and it's lovely to walk along the towpath but I wouldn't do it alone. Too many bushes and undergrowth.

It's terrible and I wonder if the poor girl will ever truly get over it.

Weather permitting, I try to take a little walk most days but I stick to ordinary streets. I wouldn't dream of walking in a park these days. I'd never, ever take a short cut through a park or a footpath. It's a shame that we ladies can't do this but it's a sad reflection of the times we live in.

I was cycling with my dog on a country lane, aged about 35. A car full of men overtook me and leered out of the back window. The lane was downhill, nothing there but a wood at the bottom. I saw the car parked there so I turned tail, adrenaline kicked in and I cycled up that hill like I could not normally cycle. My heart was pumping like crazy. The car reversed behind me up the hill. I got to a house at the top and went there and rang the bell. They were out, luckily the car went away. I have never walked on my own in the countryside or a park since then, I always have that inner scared feeling. I cycle on my own still, having the bike feels a bit safer

Poor girl. I don't think it's advisable for girls and women to walk through parks alone.