An eye-catching new study shows just how different the experience of walking home at night is for women versus men.
The study, led by Brigham Young University public health professor Robbie Chaney, provides clear visual evidence of the constant environmental scanning women conduct as they walk in the dark, a safety consideration the study shows is unique to their experience.
No I’m sorry, this is a ridiculous line of reasoning. If you injure your knee, you can walk down stairs like you normally do, or you can go down them slowly and carefully to lessen the risk of injury. The same goes for this situation of being careful while walking home. As you said, assessing a particular path and then taking another is one option. Only walking through a dark alley when other people are moving that way is another. Looking into a dark corner and moving to the far side so that you can’t be grabbed without a chance to run is another. Making careful choices may not save you if someone is after you in particular, but to say it has no effect on the likelihood of the average woman being attacked is absurd.