After the murder of Sarah Everard near Clapham Common in London while she was on her way home, members of #walk1000miles discussed whether they felt safe when walking alone.
How do you feel?
“The fear factor hasn’t suddenly been ramped up; for so many of us it’s always been there from an early age. So a campaign demanding safety for women, seems like the only way forward here.”
“I’m so sick of people rolling their eyes and giving statistics of likelihood of being murdered. I’m not particularly frightened of that, I know the numbers are low. I’m scared of being cornered, or groped, or put in a situation where I feel scared. I think it’s absolutely brilliant that this is being talked about and the issue’s being raised. Why should we have to feel unsafe?! Let’s talk about it!”
“Whenever I pass a man walking, I always say a loud cheerful “hello”. I also think it’s horrible to be a man walking alone feeling that he might be intimidating a woman walking alone. It’s the saddest thing, the recent loss of this vibrant young soul. Keep walking and keep talking to each other.”
“I’ve always walked alone. Perhaps it depends where you go, but my walking in Cambridgeshire and Devon has been good. I never feel threatened or afraid. I think it’s often the perceived threat that causes fear.
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“It’s easy to spread fear, alarm and despondency. Not so easy to spread how rarely these things happen, considering how many people there are. Not so easy to spread confidence, calmness and joy.”
“So sad to see the fear factor ramping up these days. The murder of Sarah Everard is of course tragic and happens very rarely. More people are injured or killed by their partners or family members than by strangers. Don’t allow others to seize your mind. Walk tall out there, feel confident, enjoy the moment of being able to walk. Mindful moments help us more than fearful ones.”
“I feel much safer walking in the countryside than I do in an urban setting, so perhaps there’s an element of privilege in being able to confidently walk on one’s own in these areas.
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“This has really affected me. I am so nervous about walking on my own now at night. It never used to bother me, but now I’m a nervous wreck. I stick to the main roads and I’m constantly looking over my shoulder and checking my surroundings.
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“I can’t let fear take away the power that walking gives me!”
“Like most women I’ve experienced harassment and worse from random men. I feel we as a society are no longer going to accept this stuff as normal. Next time something happens I feel I’ll be more prepared. I won’t just accept this is the way things are. I’ll make a fuss and report it. And, unlike before, I feel I’ll be listened to.
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