The Night Roads
“She walked home – God forbid.
Did everything she was told from a kid
Be ready to run, fake a phone call, only walk down streets that are well lit.
Every corner could be a trap, every road a dead end.
A battle zone, a minefield
And all we want to do is go safely home.”
The above is an excerpt from a poem by an anonymous author on the Journal of Medical and Cultural Perspectives. The fear of walking home alone at night is deeply rooted in the hearts of women from every culture. Women are forced to always be hyper-alert and hyper-sensitive to every breeze, every sign of disturbance or trouble. From a young age, we are taught that we should walk with keys between our fingers, avoid poorly lit streets, or make phone calls to appear less vulnerable. These self-defence tactics are common sense among all women, all in an effort to avoid kidnappings, assaults or robberies.
Why is this the case? Why are women expected to know and avoid these situations? Society often normalizes this by framing it as “just part of being a woman”, as if this is a burden they are born to bear, instead of a societal problem that should be addressed. When these cases of violence are publicized, many even go as far as to blame the victim – her dress was too short, her makeup was too heavy, she should have known better than to be out that late, or that she should have taken a taxi.
However, even taxis aren’t safe. John Worboys, better known as the “Black Cab Rapist”, was a taxi driver who was convicted in 2009 for 12 cases of rape against women, late at night in central London. More recently in 2022, Raymond Shorten from Dublin was also convicted of raping 2 women in his taxi, preying on the women’s incapacity and vulnerability. These highly publicized cases are just the tip of the iceberg – in reality, it barely scratches the surface of the true horrors women go through on a day to day basis.
Violence against women is a global epidemic. Estimates published by the World Health Organization (WHO) indicates that about 1 in 3 (30%) of women worldwide have been subjected to either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. The fear that all women are conditioned to feel when they are alone in public spaces is not irrational – it is a response to a real threat. For many, this violence is not just an abstract concept, but a lived experience.
This fear has been deeply ingrained in women’s hearts and have grave effects on their psychological wellbeing. The anxiety associated with walking alone at night extends beyond that specific experience; it’s the everyday things women go through that breeds this fear of night roads. It’s the catcalls on the street, the staring by men twice their age, the vulgar comments at the café or bar that leads to them feeling perpetually vulnerable.
Violence against women can lead to depression, post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders, sleep difficulties, eating disorders, and suicide attempts. A 2013 analysis done by WHO found that women who have experienced violence were almost twice as likely to experience depression and problem drinking.
From a societal standpoint, violence against women is also a statement against society’s misogyny. The dismissal of women’s troubles in society restricts their freedom and limits their choices, influencing where they go, how they dress, and when they return home. The fear of violence reduces women’s access to public spaces, ultimately curtailing their independence. This is a huge limiting factor for many women to explore their potential, which also inhibits the advancement of technology, economy and society.
The fear of walking home at night is a symptom of a much larger issue—one rooted in systemic inequality, misogyny, and societal indifference. Instead of putting focus on creating safer environments or addressing the root causes of violence, often the responsibility is placed on women to protect themselves, reinforcing the idea that their safety is primarily their concern. This raises the question: if men were experiencing the same fears and threats, would more proactive actions be taken? The answer, some might argue, is no – because such a situation would never be allowed to happen in the first place.
The issue of addressing and quelling violence against women should be approached from a multi-faceted angle, incorporating legal, social, and educational strategies. In 2019, WHO and UN Women published RESPECT women – a framework for preventing violence against women aimed at policy makers. Each letter of RESPECT stands for one of seven strategies: Relationship skills strengthening; Empowerment of women; Services ensured; Poverty reduced; Enabling environments, including schools, work places, public spaces created; Child and adolescent abuse prevented; and Transformed attitudes, beliefs and norms.
Society as a whole must advocate for stronger laws and policies that protect women from violence. This doesn’t apply only to the deep, dark alleyways, but also to prestigious educational institutions and professional workplaces, where harassment and violence can be just as prevalent and insidious. Apart from that, the societal narrative must shift from one that blames women for the violence they face, to one that questions the underlying societal norms that perpetuate it.
Messages of respect, equality and non-violence should be promoted and shared everywhere, through a myriad of mediums. This includes promoting positive role models, addressing toxic masculinity, and fostering an environment where violence against women is not tolerated or normalized.
Instead of educating women and little girls on reactive measures when faced with violence, we should instead focus education efforts on preventive measures such as educating young boys and men on consent, respect and healthy masculinity. By integrating these approaches, we can create a more holistic and effective response to violence against women, ensuring safer environments and fostering a culture of respect and equality.
The suppression of women is the suppression of 50% of all human potential. This calls for a world where women can walk freely at any hour, where their safety is not dependent on self-imposed restrictions, and where violence against women is no longer normalized but universally condemned. Until then, the fear of walking the night roads remains a stark reminder of the pervasive violence against women, and a call to action for everyone to strive for a safer, more equal world.
By: CHLOE ZHENG SHU LIN
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