Warnings Directed at Women

I have to admit that I am a pretty paranoid person.

Part of it is because of all the scary movies I have watched over the years, part of it is because of the news stories, and the other part is because of the warnings constantly being posted on Facebook.

In High School, I used to be scared to walk to my car that was 5 feet away in the dark.

Here is what my typical routine looked like just to go home from work. 

Walk out of work and check behind me to make sure no one is following.

Hold keys between knuckles and pretend to jab like wolverine if anyone pops out.

As I approach my car, look under it to make sure someone is 

not waiting to slice my ankles open.

Check back seat before getting in car to make sure no one is hiding.

Open door, jump into car, and lock it.

Get out of the parking lot a.s.a.p.

That was real life and is sometimes still real life for me.

I have gotten better, but I am still scared.

I am also angry about being scared.

It's frustrating that I have to be ready to run, kick, scream, fight, etc. just because I am a female. It's frustrating that I feel like I have to take my hair out of a ponytail at night because its an easy way for a predator to pull me off my feet. It's frustrating that I have to rely on a man to feel safe.

But the most frustrating part is that each year women are being predated in new ways.

Today I read about how attackers are recording baby sounds and playing them outside your door at night to lure you out of your house and then attack you.

The lows that predators will go to just to hurt you is frustrating.

But then there is the psychological side of me that is intrigued by the nature of these people.

What makes them come to this point?

What happened in their story that caused them to want to attack others?

What was/is home life like?

What I wish for most is that women would not have to be scared to walk to their cars at night.

I wish that the majority of women learned self defense because they had an interest in it and not because they are scared of being attacked. I wish women could walk around like men.

But I also know that my wishes will only come true if I start to understand the other, the predator. By digging deeper into their darkness I can discover the darkness that pushed them into theirs. I can discover their humanness and their realness. It is not the best solution, but it is a step I want to take and encourage others to take. I am not saying you should sympathize with the predator, but I am asking that you remember they were born with a clean slate just like you. We all have dark stories and we all have great stories. Remembering that so many things impact us, shape us, and control us helps us to see that we all are trying to survive in a world that can be harsh, dark, and scary. Some of us choose a better path and some of us do not. 

What are your thoughts on this issue?

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