Not sure about this story. I'll need to read it more than once because, on first reading, it seems too contrived and didactic.

I'm not sure that our brains do alert us so readily. If they did, I wouldn't expect the appalling statistics relating to women being harmed in various way, let alone the reality that there must be far more than are ever reported or discovered.

Neither am I sure about the day versus night scenarios. My impression and understanding is that just as much, if not more, harm comes to women in daylight hours as at night.

No, I'm not female so perhaps my perspective is flawed, not what it should be, even ignorant. I don't know, which is why I need to read the piece more than once and reflect on it, rather than simply react to it.

I appreciate its intention and, if it motivates some to think more carefully about their own behaviours in relation to their safety, that's good. However, I also question whether the piece perhaps ignores the reality that girls and women oughtn't to have to take extra care in order to be safe. Yes, that may be the wise thing to do - I can see that. At the same time, isn't this perhaps supporting the notion that girls and women are responsible for their own safety - thus also, having only themselves to blame if they haven't acted 'wisely'?

I don't pretend to know any answers beyond that, in my view, girls and women are victims of the ignorance, inappropriate conditioning, lack of conscience and failure of boys and men to control their emotions and behaviours.

So, shouldn't it really be men that are having this conversation but from the perspective of why it is that females are in this predicament and what it is that males can do about it?

#BeOpenClub