I normally ready each and every comment and the replies in a thread. The combativeness in this thread raised my heart rate, so I'm leaving it. I just want to say, I don't think it's necessary to be so god damned harsh with each other!!!

I've always done what I wanted, but I also stay aware of my surroundings and stay away from people and vehicles that I perceive may be a threat. Some nights I feel tired and might not walk to town in the dark as I couldn't be bothered dealing with confrontation, but 9/10 times that wouldn't be an issue, I'd deal with it if it happened.
I've nearly been adbucted by a gang before and did need my friends' help that night, but most actual attempts to attack or attacks have been by people known to me and so I couldn't really have pre-empted them.
I was lucky in that I did judo at a young age and then did a bit of mixed martial arts in my teens, including eskrima and then when there was a serial attacker in my city a few years ago I got to do a great 2 day session with a fantastic trainer of international standing.
I see your point of view, but everyone had their own comfort zone and some places are less safe than others, not everyone is as gung ho as us

I believe a woman can do do anything she sets her mind to. My wife is an upper bi-lateral amptee from birth and she can nearly do anything she wants. It helps that she's a "mulie" as in stubborn.
Our youngest daughter works for a large corporation. She also is head of a cattle orgainazation and raises cattle. She is very independent and rescourceful. Like her dad, a anti-religionist. She is also a strong supporter of gun rights.
So you see that I am surrounded with strong women.

I truly believe that the fear that we perpetuate in any form....Shit, just turn on the news.....has caused the human race worldwide to live a backwards life where we are afraid of life itself. Afraid to try something new, afraid to meet someone new, afraid to be someone new.
It is unfortunate that No Doubts song I’m Just A Girl is so accurate but the ultimate enemy that we need to recognize is fear in general.

My son is 6”3 and weighs 250 lbs. My daughter is 5’1 and weighs under 100 lbs. It makes perfect common sense that I would caution my daughter from walking around alone late at night. I’m not saying that something couldn’t happen to my son but I don’t think anyone is going to abduct him, at least not as easily as they could my daughter.

Hey, ya know what? You all win. I'm just going to stay in my house and never come out again. You're all entirely correct. The world is Far too terrifying for any woman to live in. Being online is scary too so yea. Bye.

Rather than couldn't I'd say shouldn't, and yes I'm a woman. A woman who has been raped going out with only a knife for protection. I don't believe that makes me any less aware than you. Maybe you're small town kept you "safe"

I think advising someone of the dangers of doing certain things is obviously fine, so I don't understand your objection.

Please don’t be offended by anyone’s concern for you. In the last two years or so I have seen a significant sway in people and their absolute disregard for for anyone that isn’t them. We are currently living in a culture where rape, murder and assault are not looked at as the horrific crimes they are but more of, well they should have had a gun and that wouldn’t have happened. It’s insane, but it’s not disrespect.

Wait....if men weren’t around to tell you what to do....you mean to say....you’d be...(gasp)...FINE???

?

Compare the number of women's bodies found raped and murdered to the number of men's bodies found murdered. A woman alone is often seen by human predators as a target of opportunity whereas men usually are not. The fact that have so far escaped the possible result of your risky behavior seems to have emboldened you. You seem to have missed that part of reality.

I’m male and still told not to do things because it’s unsafe—including traveling alone.

I don’t take it as a blow to my masculinity or my ego.

Statistics prove some things are more dangerous than others, and also prove that in sexual assault women are much more likely to be victims.

These are simply facts.

[rainn.org]

So in other words we shouldn't even suggest that a woman (or man for that matter) be careful or responsible? That's good to know. I'll be sure to blame the murderer or rapist, because I never want to even suggest that it could have been prevented in the first place. That would be blaming the victim and we can't have that, now can we.

As a gun-carrying female...I see the dangers of life in front of me everyday living on the road.

Men have a natural tendency to protect their physically weaker counterpart, so you have to understand that.

The average woman cannot beat up a man...sorry.

This ain't Sharia law...it's just men wanting to protect us, is all...and I love it!

Go, Men!!???

My ex was fond of a frozen fish called tilapia. She would attack these things with a sharp knife even when she had had a drink or 3. The way she cut into them looked like an accident just waiting to happen, knife going towards hand. It took a while but I learnt to just leave her to it. If and when we had to go to A&E I would say " I told you so " but it never happened. I do not think of this as sexist as I have cautioned guys as well when they were doing dumb things.

I'm going to make one more comment one here then I'm done( the appearance of threats in the comments tells me it's time to go). My whole life I've heard the litany of things women shouldn't do because it might give men ideas.

Being the rebellious teen I was, I did most of them to see what would happen. Much to my surprise, the people I'd been told to fear did me no harm. I found that I could do nearly anything my male cousins did and wonder of wonders, I was neither raped nor murdered.

Cut to the new century and a group of young friends doing the things I did openly and without expectation of harm. They have not been raped or murdered in higher numbers than the women who lived cloistered lives either. It really brought home the fact that it is not what women do, wear, say or look like that bring assaults upon them. It is the intent of the assaulter that makes these things happen. They will happen as long as assaulters exist and you won't avoid attacks even by refusing to take risks.

If the risk/benefit ratio stays the same whether you live the life you want or lurk in your home paralyzed with fear. Why not live? Furthermore why not live and speak out about the people who create your fear.

In my life the people who have harmed me in these ways have ALL been family members or partners. Staying home wouldn't have saved me, though leaving may have.

The best defense against a world that can indeed be dangerous is a healthy survival instinct and the tools to defend yourself with. If you deny someone these things because you fear they're too fragile to weild them, you WILL doom those people to being victims. You can't be with someone always.

Raise strong women. Tell men who victimise women that their behaviour is unnaceptable, report them, support your friends. ✌

I never hike alone. Men with guns on horses sexually harassed and terrified me, both times I hiked alone. "Hey, pretty lady! Where are you spending the night? We'll join you!"

It's important to use good judgment for your own safety. I do not do technical rock and ice climbing because it's too dangerous. Injuries and deaths from scaling mountains are horrific. The equipment is too heavy.

I'm not willing to hang my life from a piton I just tapped into a crack.

I see the gender difference you are speaking of here. Speaking for both genders my remarks today is that many things are not safe. If I am to believe the worldwide news (not Trump's fake news) you might get killed if you simply go shopping or walk on a sidewalk.

Here is an interesting statistic from Australia, females over 15 are more likely to be physically assaulted in their own home than anywhere else with over 50% of such assaults occurring at home, next comes where they work or study, after that we've got someone else's home, then we have other public places and bringing up the rear is on the street. So why are we telling women not to go out at night alone, clearly staying at home is far more dangerous.
A woman is more likely to be assaulted by their partner than a stranger. Less than 30% of assaults on women are by strangers. So why are women huddled in their oh so safe homes because they are afraid of going out by themselves?

This thread is scarier than anything I face in real life. I do everything by myself and I can't say it ever occurs to me to change what I do based on my sex. If I want to go to a concert, I go. By myself. If I want to go for a hike, I go. By myself. I am a competent adult that does not need a minder.
I have brought up my children to respect people, regardless of their sex. And to take adequate precautions, regardless of their sex. And now my children are competent people that do not need minders. In fact, my daughter drove across the county and is living (by herself) in a place she had never visited, running a political campaign. Sure, bad things can happen - that is always true for EVERYONE. But living your life afraid of doing things? Nah, absolutely not. You only live once!

Sadly, real danger exists for lone women! Yes it angers me too, but i have no desire to end up as an episode on CSI either. Dealing with reality is an important part of growing older with happy memories predominating.

It's just the same ol' victim blaming. "If she hadn't dressed like that/gone there/done that, she wouldn't have gotten hurt." Some reasonable advice is one thing, but when you start shifting responsibility for wrongs onto the victim instead of the responsible party, it crosses into abuse. I hate victim blaming...

I watch Discovery ID regularly. As such I'm always worried about the ladies in my life.

I'm one of those people who ask why it's so dangerous for women. And when I'm told about muggings and rapes and what not done by,....men, I say, Well, doesn't it make more sense to tell boys and men to behave themselves and raise them to be decent human beings? And then people stop talking to me.

Totally true ... people need to stop making excuses for cavemen and creating a false bubble, essentially enabling patriachal contructs that hold females back.

Never a been issue in my cirlces but I know in the wider world it's massive.

In a sense it's enabling isn't it ... "Stand by me ladies, let me protect you from me" :/