Advice for boys...

[aumentou]

Hypothetically, if you are ever travelling down a dark path with no side exits and not observers and there's a woman on her own ahead of you on the route, it's not particularly polite to move fast enough that you're catching her up. Better to hang 40 yards back or so - you know, so that if you were hostile she'd have a good head start. Otherwise, she might get twitchy. Also, when she stands to one side and waits for you to pass rather than keeping on moving, that is not your cue to look amused. Yes, YOU know you're not a mugger or a rapist or anything like that. She doesn't. Since you have just moved in a way consistent with an attack, it's not unreasonable for her to be concerned.

Comments

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I remeber once walking home alone after work and a guy behind me suddenly broke into a run. As he came round the corner I had swung round and was clutching my bag - he jumped out of his skin. He didn't realise I was there. We were both very apologetic and embarrassed.

I felt bad afterwards, partly because the guy was black. I wondered if in fact I had subconsciously assumed he was dangerous for that reason (I appreciate it isn't fair to assume white men are muggers either).

I would agree that you should avoid suddenly breaking into a run behind a lone walker - male or female. Sudden running footsteps are a bit threatening and from a purely selfish perspective if you do spring round a corner at someone they just might panic and lash out at you. It would be entirely unfair and no doubt they would be very sorry about it, but that wouldn't stop it happening. That also applies to women - whilst generally most people aren't threatened by women, a) some people just might be and b) someone who just hears footsteps doesn't know what gender you are.