Taking a walk outside on a star-filled night can be a wonderful experience. It’s peaceful, quiet, and can be great for mental health, but what happens when going outside at night is dangerous? As women, we face discrimination and the risk of danger when being out alone after dark. This can prevent us from doing many things, including something as simple and peaceful as a midnight stroll. However, there are ways to go out and still stay safe and protect yourself from danger at night.
Not going alone
The first and easiest way to stay safe is not to go alone. Take this as an opportunity to hang out with someone in your life, whether it’s a friend, family member, or partner. It is important to make sure it’s someone you trust and someone who you know will have your back if things go wrong. The more the merrier, so maybe make it a group activity or something that you and whoever you bring do weekly. It’s easy to get caught up in life, as busy as it gets, and forget to check in with the people in your life, so include them in your night walks if you don’t have time during the day. Most things are better when you’re not alone, so don’t be when you walk.
Things to remember
It’s also understandable if that late-night walk is the only alone time you get, and it’s your way of winding down. If you decide to go it alone, then there are a few things you need to keep in mind. First, and most importantly, have a charged phone with you where you can quickly access it! If you are somewhere that is isolated and can’t scream for help, calling 911 is the perfect first step to getting help. Also, try your best not to get lost. It’s easier to contact help if they know exactly where you are. Make sure that you can relay your location to whoever you contact, whether that be the police or a loved one. If you are going to contact a loved one, make sure it’s someone you trust who is also close to your location, so they can get there faster.
Defending yourself
If it’s down to you defending yourself against an attacker, there are a few options to get yourself out. Firstly, wear shoes that are good for running, these are tennis shoes, not heels, ballet flats, or even some boots. Being able to outrun your attacker and get somewhere safe is a top priority. Second, self defense classes teach you how to keep yourself safe when you have nothing to defend yourself with. If you can’t afford classes, that’s OK! There are tutorials on YouTube that teach a few basic moves. Practice with a loved one and learning something, even if it’s small, is better than nothing.
Other ways to defend against an attacker is with items that you brought with you. Pepper spray is always the ideal option, aiming for the eyes. It blinds and incapacitates the attacker enough for you to get somewhere safe. Another option is taking your keys and making them into claws through your knuckles. This works well in a bind, but it can also hurt the inside of your hand and can be hard to aim. Alternatively, you can spike to hang on your key chain and use that as an individual weapon. Finally, there are alert whistles and alarms that can be added to a bag or key chain; use them to contact those around you for help. Even if no one comes over to help you, people will either check on the odd sound or report it to the police. There will be a way out.
The right to a beautiful night
It is hard to live in a world where women feel unsafe to leave their homes, not just at night, because of the horror stories of fellow women. However, hope is never fully lost, and there are ways to feel and stay safe when being outside. We have every right to enjoy the night sky and all its beauty; we just need to stay safe when looking at it.
