A few weeks ago in my advocacy through media class we talked about domestic and sexual violence. Through our discussions we got on the topic of women feeling safe at night. We made a list on the board displaying what both genders do to get ready for a night out on the town knowing that they will be arriving separately from their friend and will have to park far away from where they are going in a dark place.
While both men and women shared the same list of getting ready there was one thing that women said they needed to do that men did not...grab their pepper spray or their rape whistle.
This is alarming but is the truth we face. As women in this society we are taught that if we go out at night by ourselves we are putting ourselves at risk. The only way we are taught to address these risks is to have pepper spray or a rape whistle with you just in-case something bad happens.
I worry all the time about walking by myself. In fact that very day before I left my apartment to go to class I walked through how I was going to get home after class because it was going to be dark and I didn't want to put myself in an unsafe situation.
As I was thinking about this topic in the days after I witnessed something very interesting. I had to work on campus at 6:30pm, I knew it was going to be dark and I contemplated walking to campus which then I could leave a little later, or take the bus and get to campus 30 minutes early. I ended up taking the bus because I didn't feel comfortable enough to walk by myself. I got on the bus and there were only girl on it (who all got off on campus). Only one guy got on the bus that night and he was getting a ride off campus. It was nice to feel that I was not alone in my fears but it also made me sad that this is our reality.
So my question is, when does this all change? Will women ever feel safe to walk alone? or is this forever our reality?
Tell me what you think, I would love to hear!
xoxo Kourtney
