cyberdad wrote:
It's scary being a woman in the cultures that have deemed women to be subject to spousal and state control.
It's scary everywhere, on different levels. We must:
Always make sure we wear shoes we can run in if we have to.
Plan a route home that is 'safe' (we hope)
Text friends what we are doing, where we are going and when we are back safely.
Always reverse park when we go somewhere so if we are followed back to the car, we can just jump in and drive off without manoeuvring.
Always check the backseat of our car before we get in, in case someone is hiding there.
Carry a rape alarm ready to use just in case, but make sure not to set it off by accident or we could get blamed.
If we're in a taxi with friends, make sure we're not the last one to be dropped off in case the taxi driver takes advantage.
Be careful of our drinks on a night out (or even at a Christmas market, as happened to a friend of mine) in case they are spiked.
And many, many more...
I can't possibly list all the precautions women have to take but men don't think twice about.
And if we forget just one of these precautions, we leave ourselves open to attack...and all the 'why wasn't she doing X, Y or Z?' comments.
It seems we can't trust policemen either now. The murder of Sarah Everard scared the sh|t out of us.
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That alien woman. On Earth to observe and wonder about homo sapiens.