The Dangers of Walking Alone as a Woman
I will be talking about a really sensitive but important topic that I believe we should all learn about. This topic is “The Dangers of walking alone as a Woman.” My project will address the fear and dangers that women face every day while walking on the street. It will address the fact that we need to change the way society educates men instead of focusing on changing the way women choose to dress or act. We need to start speaking and creating change upon this problem.
I would like to acknowledge that about 80% of sexual assaults and rapes go unreported. It is also crucial to acknowledge that millions of men are victims of sexual violence but at a much lower rate compared to women.
A Stanford study confirmed there is a gender gap in walking because girls and women fear the realities of gender based violence in public such as public transportation, schools, workplaces, parks, and on streets. This makes them less likely to walk through certain areas at certain times of the day.
Sexual harassment makes the receiver feel bad, angry, demeaned, and power-less which results in negative self-esteem compared to flirting which typically makes the receiver feel good, happy, flattered, and in-control. This results in positive self-esteem. Additionally, sexual harassment is one-sided, demeaning, degrading, invading, unwanted, & illegal while flirting is reciprocal, flattering, open, wanted, & legal.
In the U.S alone there are 433,648 victims (age 12 or older) of rape and sexual assault. 9/10 victims of rape are female. These statistics show that as of 1998, 17.7 million women in the U.S have been sexually assaulted. More than 90% of violence is perpetrated by men.
78% of the victims who are kidnapped or abducted into situations of trafficking are women. 70% of the victims who were abducted were trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The ‘Other’ category in the bottom right chart includes forced marriage, forced military service and organ removal. The most common sectors of exploitation for kidnapped victims in labour exploitation are domestic work and illicit activities. For sexual exploitation it is prostitution.
These are some examples of objects that most women carry and things that women do to try to keep themselves safe. Women have to have to worry about carrying things such as knives, pepper spray, pepper spray bracelets, bracelets that will track their location, and whistles (among many other things). Additionally, they have to always be prepared in case something were to occur to them. This involves having their phones ready to dial 911, sharing their location with someone they trust, and holding their keys in between their fingers for self defense.
The real question is why is the solution in the hands of the victim instead of the perpetrator? First of all, companies and the people who own these companies are profiting off of the violence that women face. Although companies are creating objects for self defense which is a good thing, these tools are usually pricey and not everyone can afford them. Additionally, rape-culture and victim blaming are two reasons why we place pressure on the victim to solve the issue rather than on the perpetrator. Society tends to blame the victim in order to distance themselves from the idea that the same thing can happen to them.
We can stop normalizing sexual violence by acknowledging the fact that sexual abuse comes in many different forms. It can be unsolicited sexual comments & jokes, random nudes that weren’t asked for, touching or grabbing someone or pursuing unwanted sexual contact as well as many other things. We also have to stop acting as if women allow themselves to be raped. We tend to say things such as “You shouldn’t dress that way”- the way someone dresses isn’t an invitation for sexual content nor does it make it okay. Another thing society constantly tells women is “Don’t put yourself in situations like that or go out alone” — women shouldn’t have to prevent themselves from being raped daily! Additionally you should know that NOTHING makes you entitled to any type of sexual acts/contact.
The victim can be your mom, sister, girlfriend, cousin, daughter or any loved one. If you are in a situation where someone is getting harassed or is in danger and you can do something about it you should do it because sometimes being a bystander is just as bad as being the perpetrator. Even if you know that what the perpetrator is doing is wrong, if you choose to not do anything about it and just stand there watching, then you’re letting them know that their behavior is acceptable. This reinforces their actions and now they know that they can do this whenever they want to without any shame or consequences.
Although men can be victims of sexual harassment, assault, rape, and kidnaps women experience these realities at a much higher rate. These fears cause girls and women to feel less inclined to walk, especially through certain areas at certain times. We need to stop this from happening to little girls and women. I want you all to remember the statistics and dangers that girls and women fear and understand that these things can happen to your loved ones. I also want you all to also understand that the way a female chooses to dress or carry herself doesn’t mean she’s looking for any sexual comments/ actions.
