Backlash at police advice not to walk home alone
a police force has been accused of ‘victim blaming’ after it warned women not to walk home alone at night.
Critics said nottinghamshire Police’s advice was decades out of date – and suggested victims of crime were to blame for getting attacked.
The force’s warning was posted online after a woman contacted police earlier this month to say she had been followed home by a suspicious man late at night.
She made it back safely but the force warned in its web post: ‘Taking a risk when it comes to walking alone at night is not one of those things we should be doing.
‘Women who walk alone especially at night are at risk of harassment, or even physical assault.’ The force added: ‘it is always best to walk with someone or in an area where there are other people... Whether it’s to your car after a late night at the office, heading to your car after a late-night store run, or walking home from the public bus station.’
Helen Voce, chief executive of the nottingham Women’s Centre, said she ‘could not believe’ the advice.
‘it felt like a 1980s thing – it is so condescending, blaming women for going out and it’s so sexist about us coming back from the shops,’ she said. ‘i think it makes women feel like it’s their fault and that’s ridiculous.’
The post appeared on the Facebook page of Broxtowe north Police, a policing district to the west of nottingham.
it referred to an incident on november 22 where a woman was followed by a man who pulled up his hood and scarf to cover his face. He fled after the victim ran away and called her husband.
The advice sparked strong reactions online. One critic, amy Williams, wrote: ‘When you say “taking a risk when it comes to walking alone at night is not one of those things we should be doing”, we all hope you mean “everyone should feel safe enough to walk alone at night and it is our job to make that happen”.’
nina douglas-Bain added: ‘do not blame the victim here. The blame lies solely with the man who was apparently considering that he had a right to rob or assault another human being.’
a nottinghamshire Police spokesman said: ‘We recognise this was a clumsy attempt to communicate an incident with the underlying intention of keeping people safe.
‘The post was swiftly deleted as soon as it was brought to our attention... we apologise unreservedly for any offence caused.’
Last year, the Metropolitan Police faced similar accusations after it urged women not to use headphones or mobile phones while walking alone after a spate of sexual assaults near London Underground stations. Critics said using headphones and mobile phones was not the reason for the attacks.
‘Like we’re back in the 1980s’