Walking alone at night

Yes, I would still feel safe going out in the evening or night, as long as I kept to the roads and streets that are lighted here.

I would not go for a walk in the local woods after dark, though,

This is probably illogical, but based on the fact that in the woods no-one would here if I called for help or screamed.

I would not walk along the unlit country lane in the dark, even although there are inhabited houses along it.

In no Danish city would I feel unsafe out after dark, but in the all there could well be areas I would avoid if on my own.

Deserted car parks? These would not bother me, but there is no way I would go into an underground parking facility at any hour of the day or night, or for that matter park by myself in one of the kind that are entirely built above ground level in stories. - There is just no way you can get to your car quickly enough in them, if danger threatened.

I have several very large and, according to some, dogs of an intimidating breed.
I walk them on a regular basis and while always aware of my surroundings etc, will continue to do so.

However, in the past few years both my son and brother have been involved in incidents;
My son was on his way to the local G.P's surgery mid afternoon and was threatened by two youths and on another occasion was physically pushed by a woman in her mid 30's while waiting for public transport.
My brother was actually assaulted on his way home from work.

I actually worry more for them than myself.

Only if I have my own transport or a lift. Would not rely on unreliable public transport.

What worries me more, is my niece, who has to walk home from working on a pub. Not very far, about half a mile, but it's early hours of the morning, and the local authority turn off the street lighting about 11 pm, this making pitch black streets for people to walk home through.

(I don't know where my last posting went. I think I pressed a button and it disappeared). But what I said was basically 'twas ever thus. There never was a golden age of safety was there? Attacks, murders, rapes and robbery have gone on from the beginning of time but now there are more humans so more of it. However I must add that I do think the internet has a lot to answer for.

I don`t go out much in the evening but would not be afraid too, its just my lifestyle is different now. I don`t think anything has changed. I was 15 (over 50 years ago) when I was molested at a bus stop by three grown men. I decided that I could be forever afraid to walk around or just carry on with my life.

I would go out at night, but if alone, I would restrict it to the town I live in. I know which areas to avoid - some of which I'd hesitate to visit in daylight!

I do. Use a torch and stay in reasonable closeness to houses

Sorry, appears to have posted twice! No idea why and apparently can’t delete on here?

Quote: “ How much more responsibility are we going to be expected to take for the vile, predatory behaviour of some men?‘
Problem is, that these men will always be around, waiting for an ideal opportunity. Not everywhere and every day, obviously, but there’s always a chance. No legislation, education or App is going to stop a determined predator.
It’s up to each individual, male or female, to make their own risk assessment before making any particular lone walk.
It’s no good saying “it’ll never happen to me” as clearly it does happen. However, the circumstances are usually similar - secluded area, woman alone, often dusk or dark.

Quote: “ How much more responsibility are we going to be expected to take for the vile, predatory behaviour of some men?‘
Problem is, that these men will always be around, waiting for an ideal opportunity. Not everywhere and every day, obviously, but there’s always a chance. No legislation, education or App is going to stop a determined predator.
It’s up to each individual, male or female, to make their own risk assessment before making any particular lone walk.
It’s no good saying “it’ll never happen to me” as clearly it does happen. However, the circumstances are usually similar - secluded area, woman alone, often dusk or dark.

I live in a village with no street lights. A male dog walker was murdered by a random stranger some miles away a couple of years ago in broad daylight. He didn’t have a big fierce dog like mine though. Without her, I would certainly think twice about walking after dark but am fine in the daytime.

" I do think we should take responsibility where we walk when it’s dark, having said that we should be able to go where we want at whatever time!"

Ellfiesnan

You can walk in a street in broad daylight and be attacked - girls and women have been. Conversely you can walk a lone street at night and not be assaulted.

Please tell me how we can "take responsibility for where we walk". Should we avoid streets in broad daylight or streets at night - or perhaps we should take full responsibility and not go out at all, or only with a male chaperone?

How much more responsibility are we going to be expected to take for the vile, predatory behaviour of some men?

I walk home from work across two parks, in winter time it’s dark at 5pm but it doesn’t stop me. I just feel we’d never go out at all if you’re afraid of the dark

I never go out in the evening/ night except for unusual circumstanses, I would go alone in our local area,but it is so isolated I wouldnt like to anyway, I dont like the dark .I sound like a hermit.

i will not be a i live in a country lane with no lighting and few houses so it will be day time only for me

If I walk from my daughter’s house in the next road to mine, I always let her know by text when I am safely indoors. I would never walk alone any further than that and I don’t feel safe in other cities either, but I’m never alone when visiting friends. I am glad that my daughter no longer lives alone in Manchester and I’m glad I no longer have children at university in big cities. We were always chatting on mobile phones to keep children safe whatever time of day they walked alone.

I work as a care assistant and I cant drive so I have to work between calls on my own after dark till 10 pm I have no choice I have to work

Yes I’m fine with going out when it’s dark, I wouldn’t walk in a remote area alone. I am still active socially and I’ll be cautious but it won’t stop me.

When I was younger I would not of thought twice about walking on my own. Nowadays I only stick to my area while walking the dog at night, although now it's getting dark earlier I'm heading out earlier too. I'm sure there were a lot of dangers years ago, but you never really heard about it as much as you do now.

Most men are decent. And nothing will stop those that aren't. So it's a question of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Once on a London bus a man sat far too close to me, grinned and asked for my phone number. I gave him a false number but that was creepy. It's hard to know who to trust. Another time, driving in fog in a narrow lane, the car in front stopped and the driver got out. My heart pounded as he walked towards me. I locked myself in and opened my window about an inch. Turned out he was totally lost, that's all. It's so difficult.

I completely agree, I was mugged and beaten at 6.30pm on a summers evening on a main road in West London. The police were brilliant but to track this guy is nearly impossible unless the CTV cameras are about and they are allowed to use them. I do think we should take responsibility where we walk when it’s dark, having said that we should be able to go where we want at whatever time! But these 2 awful murders, thank God, are quite rare unlike the domestic murders that are far more frequent.

Live out of nearest town. Local streets or those I can access on foot across an A road, yes I would walk at night. I am not lessening any attack on a person day or night but surely we have to keep the Sarah Everard attack in perspective. Is the media playing up it was a police officer or a male? Out of the 8000 police in the Met just as in the same number within the general population there will be those who have morality issues. Can people be vetted to such an extreme level to assess if they will ever commit atrocities? Of course the internet issue that's come to light is something that could highlight a person's attitude to females. However we have to be careful that some of it may be bravodo amongst colleagues. Only a full enquiry will help to understand and hopefully change attitudes.

Have you looked at the Hollie Guard app set up by a charity ? The basic version is free and would give some of us additional reassurance?

I live in a town and often walk back from restaurants in the dark and used to walk back from work around 9 pm, I walk my two dogs through the wood ever day. As someone has said these sorts of incidents are rare and I don’t intend to let people like that stop me enjoying life, I refuse to become a prisoner in my own home scared of going out

mumstheword86

Why take the risk if you don’t need to The world is not a safe place anymore being brave or in denial won’t keep you alive and safe anymore stay at home don’t go out alone

So single women, or women who go out without their husband, should stay home in the evenings from October to March?

It's not brave or in denial - it's living a life that includes evening social events/activities.