A Right to the Night

Jill Meagher, Masa Vukotic, Stephanie Scott.

Masa Vukotic, the 17 year old who was stabbed to death walking in a Melbourne park last March.

Stephanie Scott, the 26-year-old dedicated school teacher who was murdered last year when visiting her school out of hours, just one week before her wedding.

And of course, Jill Meagher, the bubbly 29 year old who was walking home from drinks with friends in Melbourne in 2012 when she was sexually assaulted and murdered.

Each time we learn of another woman being abused, assaulted or losing her life to a random or senseless act of violence, the advice is flung at us and it sticks like tar. This is despite the fact that, statistically, women are more likely to be attacked by someone we know than a stranger.

Text me when you get home safely, okay?Because otherwise, I might think something terrible’s happened to you.

Make sure you don’t talk on your phone walking around when it’s late.Because someone might creep up and attack you.

Don’t ever have your headphones in while walking alone at night.You won’t be able to hear an attacker approaching.

Image: iStock.

They’re the recommendations I’ve heard so many times that my key-holding, back-watching behaviour has become as second nature, as subconscious, as reaching for a jacket when I’m cold. And they only help to perpetuate the victim-blaming mindset that’s rife in our community.

In fact, the most disturbing finding revealed in the report was that seventeen per cent of the young women agreed that a girl wearing revealing clothing is partially responsible for unwanted attention or harassment.

"It's just so shocking and disappointing that a country like ours is still suffering from these sort of ideas, and this fear that's spreading for all the young women," 18 year old Grady-Mae Dixon told theABCin reaction to the findings.

Image: iStock.

"When someone gets attacked, or a woman specifically, the question is: 'What was she wearing?' 'How did she act?' 'Was she drinking?' 'Cause she was asking for it if she was drinking."

The onus is on a woman to keep herself safe, to watch her back, ensure she’s not putting herself in a dangerous situation.

I’m not discounting the fact that many men also fall victim to horrible, unnecessary acts of violence, but the dialogue surrounding these attacks never hinges on what they were wearing, or why they were out alone at night.(Post continues after gallery.)

Mental health services in Australia

The Butterfly Foundation

As Deputy Leader of the Opposition Tanya Plibersek said last year, when the murder of Stephanie Scott prompted calls for Australians to confront violence against women, we need stronger legal responses and “attitudinal changes” to ripple throughout our community if we're to see this fear dissipate.

"We need, from very early childhood, education in respectful relationships."

Until then, if you’re feeling fear, know that you’re not alone, know that you’re not “silly” for experiencing it. But also know that it needs to change.

Image: iStock. supplied.

Do you feel safe when you're out and about at night?