Eurydice Dixon

[think positive]

It just happened? Nup that’s a bridge too far, and gives him an out of sorts.

I’m with P4S, more so that if the accused wasn’t on any spectrum, because From what I’ve seen personally, they don’t feel the need to conceal things others might. Let’s wait and see if he’s pulled wings of flies, and graduated to dogs and cats, before a woman.

I totally agree with don’t tell your daughters to blah blah blah, tell your sons to keep their hands to themselves, however, since I know that’s not happening, I do tell my daughters be careful, don’t take chances, try not to walk alone, stay alert, etc etc etc. I’m not victim blaming, I’m telling them the same thing I do when they drive and I say drive carefully, they know I mean it’s not you I’m worried about it’s every other idiot ^&*^*% drunk/drugged/angry/sleepy **** on the road I’m worried about.

At dusk a couple of days back at our local shopping centre, I walked out a door, and a guy was close on my heels, and seemed to go my way, and it freaked me out, I detoured to a group of people, not my car. You can’t be too careful, because like it or not it happens. And the fact is that the majority of perps are men, that’s not the same thing as the majority of men are perps, and the majority of victims are female, also not the same as females are all victims. What can be done? IMO. Not much, it’s just plain £$%$ed.

[stui magpie]

[Mugwump]

Oh God, I just read Dandrews PR vote-hunting Facebook post. Is there no limit to the grovelling insincerity and meaningless platitudes of the modern politician ? The poor girl is barely cold before he’s mining her death for the female vote.

[Jezza]

It was vomit inducing, Mugwump.

Stop demonising all men as a collective because of the actions of a few, but like a typical leftist he reinforces identity politics which the new left is becoming renowned for.

I've also read today that Australia has a rape culture problem

[stui magpie]

[David]

[Wokko]

Letting women carry pepper spray and effectively defend themselves would be a nice start in preventing this kind of thing. We’re a nation of victims and predators like this prick can pick targets at will. As for throwing money at state intervention, what exactly does the government do well that anyone thinks they can effectively find and intervene random attackers?

[think positive]

[Mugwump]

[thesoretoothsayer]

To me, the "men need to change" platitude is applicable to stuff like wolf-whistling or pinching a woman's bum in the office. Behaviours that some men may think are acceptable but are not.

I think all men know that rape and murder are wrong.
It's just that some don't care, some have no impulse control and some have serious personality/mental issues. Saying "men need to change" or "respect the wamen" to these people achieves nothing.

[stui magpie]

[luvdids]

His name's actually Jaymes Todd.

I agree with Lisa Wilkinson's sentiment on The Project last night - "men are scared women will laugh at them, women are scared men will kill them".

Men will never understand what it's like to be a woman - being vigilant constantly, if out for a walk - holding keys through your fingers 'just in case', not parking in dark places with few other cars around, having to do things in pairs or groups - especially at night. Hearing footsteps behind you & consciously looking around for safe haven or other people or some sort of security.

My female neighbour & I walk together of an evening during non daylight savings months & only walk along main roads. If her husband was to go for a walk I'm sure there'd be no qualms about him going alone, or into back streets.

When walking alone one morning I took a short cut through a park & saw a male looking at me. It was only then I realised if he attacked me - no one would know. It was behind a building, there was no car parks, no one around, I was completely on my own. I actually started shaking & walking faster to get away. He was probably just some guy doing yoga or something & waiting for me to go past but the fear was palpable. I'm pretty confident men would rarely, if ever, experience anything like that. Clearly I never took that route again - another change I had to make just because I'm a woman.

Sadly I don't believe this will ever change. Men will be physically stronger than women &, if the mood strikes, able to inflict serious harm. I believe women do have to be smarter or more aware & take less risks. Sad to say it but I think that's the only way of trying to stop this sort of thing. Yes, it'd be lovely if the men that want to do these things would change, or be more educated, or have more resources blah blah blah, but that's 'perfect world' stuff, and this aint a perfect world.

[stui magpie]

You're right Chris in that I rarely have to think about my own safety when going somewhere, but some times you do. The most skittish I've ever been was in Frisco, walking around at night on the edge of the tenderloin, saw a group of clearly homeless people up in front of me, so I changed to the other side of the road to avoid them.

The thing for me is, it's a small number of men who do this stuff, not a large number and certainly not the majority, yet they say "Tell men not to rape". Considering an Australian male is 40 times more likely to kill himself than his partner, maybe we should tell us all, "Oh, and don't kill yourself either"?

Saying that women should be free to walk wherever whenever in safety is like saying you should be able to leave your house and car unlocked because everyone knows stealing stuff is wrong. The problem is, people can know it's wrong but still do it, so you need to take precautions. You lock your house and car and you be careful where you walk because there are people in society who will take your possessions or your life, even though they know it's wrong.

[luvdids]

Agree about being responsible for your own safety with the house & car, that's pretty bang on.

Crossing the road to avoid? Not really the same, see if I was in the same position I'd probably have turned around & gone somewhere else or got a cab or found a different route, anything to avoid them altogether.

[David]

I think you’re spot on, Chris – I walk home by myself at night all the time, and while I’ve felt unsafe in the past, it’s been nothing like on that level. I think as men this is all pretty abstract to us. I hate the fact that my mere gender could make somebody else fearful if walking in a dark or secluded place, but what can be done about it? I’m sure a great number of young women in Melbourne are thinking right now “it could have been me”. In that way, an attack like this feels like terrorism, in terms of effect if not intent.

It’s also worth remembering how uncommon random attacks like these are in the broader scheme of things, though – the vast majority of sexual assaults are still carried out by acquaintances, spouses and family members behind closed doors. Street attacks like these are terrifying, but the chance of it happening is still very low, I’m guessing substantially lower than being hit by a drunk driver.

I don’t actually disagree with your point above, Wokko – I don’t think people should be able to carry lethal weapons like knives for self-defence, but I can’t see why something non-lethal like pepper spray should be unlawful – something like that would surely save lives.

It’s a bit morbid, I know, but do we know how she was killed?