For many young women at San Luis Obispo High School, going out into public areas alone can raise a fear for their safety. Many women find it hard to even go out to run errands because of the fear they might be taken. Unfortunately, this same thing happened to Sydney Sutherland from Jackson County, Arkansas who had been out for a run when she disappeared and was later found dead. This issue has started to show a recurrence and becoming more popular and has sparked a greater fear in females going out alone.
“My biggest fear going out in public alone is that someone will follow me to my car or even my house,” said senior Olivia Cisneros.
It isn’t a political debate to protect women from the dangers of being alone in public, nor should it even have to be a huge issue. Women of all ages have to fear to walk to their cars, afraid someone might be underneath, to fear even being in a store where people can easily be in close proximity with you.
“I had this one incident recently where an older man in Home Depot wouldn’t stop talking to me and followed me around the store. I had to ask an employee to accompany me while I bought paint and he walked me to my car to make sure the creepy man wouldn’t follow me,” said Cisneros.
Unfortunately Sydney Sutherland isn’t the only woman whose life has been taken by a selfish citizen. According to ABC News, Mollie Tibbetts, Karina Vetrano, and Vanessa Marcotte are some of the few women who’ve been killed while out by themselves. The only thing to do now is to try to teach women how they can stay safe when they’re out in public alone. Unfortunately, it has to be a woman’s responsibility to stay safe in public, but what about teaching men to not do these awful things to women? Women wouldn’t have to educate themselves so much on their safety if men could control and understand how to respect them.
“I would emphasize what many have already been told. Do not talk to or even bring attention to suspicious strangers. If you think you are being followed, talk to someone on the phone or raise someone else’s attention so you’re not alone,” said Cisneros.
It is important for women to be educated on the signs of kidnapping and possible stalking. Women should steer away from opening texts about “tracking a package” because this can lead to being tracked by someone. It is important to get in your car as soon as possible and leave as well as locking your doors immediately so no one can get in.
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