THE Northern Echo asked women what steps they take to feel safe while going about day-to-day life, which men may not necessarily consider.

It comes as the kidnapping and death of Sarah Everard prompted an outpouring of shock, grief and anger as women across the region reveal their own experiences of feeling unsafe or being harassed. 

Women in the North-East say they:

  • Go the long way home because it’s better lit than the more direct route 
  • Hold keys between their fingers
  • Own or are planning to buy a rape alarm 
  • Ask their friends to text when they’re home safe
  • Tell their friends when they are home safe
  • Do not wear heels or uncomfortable shoes because they can’t run in them
  • Do not have music on too loud when walking or running, so they know who is around them
  • Have 999 dialled on their phone in their pocket, just in case
  • Constantly look over their shoulder 
  • Cross the road when a man is walking in their direction on the same side
  • Do not make eye contact with strangers 
  • Walk in the middle of the pavement to where other paths and corners are visible 
  • Pointing their face at every CCTV camera so that if something happens, they are traceable
  • Text the number plate of a taxi they are getting into to family along with the time get got in and the estimated time of arrival
  • Pretend to be on the phone or texting when walking 
  • Call friends when walking 
  • Make sure their phone is in their hand, in their pocket, in case of an emergency
  • Leave lectures early so it’s not dark when they are walking to their car
  • Never leave a night out alone, even if they want to go home early 
  • Do not go running at night
  • Plan running routes and share them with friends and family  
  • Tell people they don’t have the time so they don’t have to pull out their phone in case they are mugged 
  • Know to ask for ‘Angela’, or another codeword, to let bar staff know they are in danger or feel uncomfortable 
  • Attend local defence classes 
  • Stick to roads where there is traffic or people around 
  • Use multiple tracking apps and share live locations on messaging apps with friends and family 
  • Sit in the back seat of taxis 
  • Use smart iPhone features like clicking the lock button five times to trigger a siren and call the emergency services 
  • Carry a nail file 
  • Carry a torch