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A Woman Walking Alone at Night
Is she safe, do you think?
I’m surrounded by people who think women should be afraid to walk alone at night. Other women. Men, when they’re being honest about the state of the world (usually when confronted with the idea that one of “their” women is going out, be it daughter, wife, or even, mother).
I’ve listened to women talk about precautions they’ve taken — keys threaded through fingers, buying self defense accessories like pepper spray, rape whistle, stun gun, etc…, parking under bright lights even if they’re further from the store, and on, and on the list goes.
When I’m included in these conversations, my perspective always shocks people. Other women expect me, as a feminist, to back them (and their perceptions of the reality we live in) up. The men expect me to chime in with my own stories of being stalked, harassed, or worse.
I have those stories. Anyone who lives in this world and presents as female has those stories. In public spaces or the streets of my own neighborhood. From being stalked on my morning run to becoming the target of a gang of teenagers.
I’ve even written about my daughter being sexually assaulted in the hallway of her high school.
I usually hang back in these conversations. I don’t want to silence other women when they…
