Women's safety

[USER1999]

What can you do? Cross over to the other side if you think it makes her feel safer. If you’re wearing a hat or a hood, maybe take it down so she can see your face and feel more safer. If you’re both walking at a similar pace, maybe speed up and go past her or slow down for a moment to allow her more space so she feels safer.

There are little things we can do to help this situation and little to no impact to ourselves.

Which is fine, but none of that is actually making her any safer. I wasn't going to attack her in the first place. It might make her feel safer, but in reality, it hasn't made any material difference.
Sadly, her attacker is probably the other side of her front door, waiting for her to get home.

 

[Kellfire]

Which is fine, but none of that is actually making her any safer. I wasn't going to attack her in the first place. It might make her feel safer, but in reality, it hasn't made any material difference.
Sadly, her attacker is probably the other side of her front door, waiting for her to get home.

You just don’t get it and I don’t think you even want to. It’s like you don’t care that women might be scared just because you know that you won’t hurt them.

 

[clubchamp98]

What can you do? Cross over to the other side if you think it makes her feel safer. If you’re wearing a hat or a hood, maybe take it down so she can see your face and feel more safer. If you’re both walking at a similar pace, maybe speed up and go past her or slow down for a moment to allow her more space so she feels safer.

There are little things we can do to help this situation and little to no impact to ourselves.

If there’s a women on the other side of the road?
Zig zagging isn’t going to look good imo.
I never wear a hood ( banning hoodies might be a start though) I do wear a cap.
But I really think just because she can see my face dosnt make her safer if she dosnt know me.
At the moment we are avoiding everyone anyway but I never crowd anyone in the street if they are walking at a decent pace I just keep my distance .
It’s sad really that we have to think like this but if it helps that’s ok with me.
As I said I am not a threat but if it makes women feel safer I will think about it more than I have in the past.

 

[USER1999]

You just don’t get it and I don’t think you even want to. It’s like you don’t care that women might be scared just because you know that you won’t hurt them.

Do you want to make women safe, or make them feel safe? It's two very different issues. Both important, but one is about comfort, and one is about not getting assaulted or killed.

 

[Kellfire]

Do you want to make women safe, or make them feel safe? It's two very different issues. Both important, but one is about comfort, and one is about not getting assaulted or killed.

Both. And one is much easier to do so why not do it.

 

[USER1999]

Perhaps the thread title could be changed to 'women's perception of safety'?

 

[USER1999]

Both. And one is much easier to do so why not do it.

Why not? But let's not kid ourselves it actually makes anyone any safer.

 

[SteveW86]

I am all for making women (or anyone for that matter) feel safe, nobody should be concerned about their safety whilst out in public.

Are we promoting some positive discrimination to make people feel safe?

 

[PNWokingham]

What can you do? Cross over to the other side if you think it makes her feel safer. If you’re wearing a hat or a hood, maybe take it down so she can see your face and feel more safer. If you’re both walking at a similar pace, maybe speed up and go past her or slow down for a moment to allow her more space so she feels safer.

There are little things we can do to help this situation and little to no impact to ourselves.

Maybe for the first time ever I would do the same and agree. Please phone the men in white coats!

 

[AmandaJR]

What Kellfire has said is laudable - don't ever slow down and drop behind a woman though as that would be scary. Speed up, stay in view until you're far enough away to not seem a threat.

 

[hovis]

What can you do? Cross over to the other side if you think it makes her feel safer. If you’re wearing a hat or a hood, maybe take it down so she can see your face and feel more safer. If you’re both walking at a similar pace, maybe speed up and go past her or slow down for a moment to allow her more space so she feels safer.

There are little things we can do to help this situation and little to no impact to ourselves.

I've had to read this a few times to make sure I understand. When I'm walking down a road and see a women I am to consider crossing over? if I'm wearing my hoody because it's 2 degrees outside then pull it down?
If I knew 100% that a women was petrified of me then I'd certainly consider it but I don't know how she feels.

Feeling unsafe and being unsafe are two very different things. I feel unsafe when I walk past a group of thugs outside a pub.

This is down to perception. A woman may feel unsafe walking down the road because of events that unfold in the media when in fact the chance of an attack is extremely low. Ironically they may decide to drive to feel safer but statistically they're more likely to die in a car crash

 

[hovis]

What Kellfire has said is laudable - don't ever slow down and drop behind a woman though as that would be scary. Speed up, stay in view until you're far enough away to not seem a threat.

This is a completely different scenario. I'm 6 ft 4 and 16 stone. If a 5ft tall women slowed down and dropped behind me I'd be petrified. That's unusual behaviour. Not the same as walking down the street

 

[Neilds]

I think it is strange that all the men on here seem to know how women feel/think and won’t change their behaviour because they know they are not a threat.
You don’t know how the woman in front of you is feeling, what previous experiences they may have had so any little thing you can do the make them feel safer has got to be a good thing surely. And this may take many forms, including maybe, telling your wife/daughter/sister not to walk home alone at night and pre book a taxi or get a lift with a friend. This is not saying don’t go out, but just take sensible precautions, just as men should.

 

[Kellfire]

What Kellfire has said is laudable - don't ever slow down and drop behind a woman though as that would be scary. Speed up, stay in view until you're far enough away to not seem a threat.

I meant if you were already behind her - just let her move far away from you. Didn’t word it the best, I definitely wouldn’t advocate slowing down until a woman overtook.

 

[hovis]

I think it is strange that all the men on here seem to know how women feel/think and won’t change their behaviour because they know they are not a threat.
You don’t know how the woman in front of you is feeling, what previous experiences they may have had so any little thing you can do the make them feel safer has got to be a good thing surely. And this may take many forms, including maybe, telling your wife/daughter/sister not to walk home alone at night and pre book a taxi or get a lift with a friend. This is not saying don’t go out, but just take sensible precautions, just as men should.

But walking to the other side of the road every time you see a woman is not a small thing. Removing a scalf evertime you see a woman is not a small Thing. Ive just past at least 20 women on my dog walk. I completely agree in certain circumstances measures can be taken. Like walking through a park at night I would certainly afford any person a wider berth but you can't live you life walking down a street considering what fears this brings to any group of people. Fetching a morning paper would be exhausting

 

[hovis]

I meant if you were already behind her - just let her move far away from you. Didn’t word it the best, I definitely wouldn’t advocate slowing down until a woman overtook.

? That's has got crime watch written all over it

 

[Kellfire]

? That's has got crime watch written all over it

Yea for sure - “I’m just holding back so I can see that you’re safe.”
:/

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

So what's the solution?

 

[SaintHacker]

So what's the solution?

Accept that 99.99999% of people aren't out to hurt anyone, be sensible about your personal safety without being paranoid? Don't tar an entire gender because of the abhorrent actions of one individual?

 

[USER1999]

Up the conviction rates for assault and sexual assault. The current rates are terrible, and possibly lead to a perception that you will get away with it (if you are that way inclined). At the very least, spend more time and money researching why these rates are so low.
Disincentivising those who have z tendancy to think they will offend, or removing those who already have, and are likely to repeat, would genuinely make people safer, and feel safer too.