I agree fear of crime is debilitating - the
reality is that women are vulnerable and yes it does curtail our freedom.
I lived in Leeds (UK) at the time of the Yorkshire Ripper (his last victim was a fellow student, and I was close by the murder scene not long after).
Until he was caught women walked around in a state of fear, we never went anywhere alone, and, yes, our freedom was very much curtailed. In reality, however, we probably weren't any much more at risk, then at any other times - after all there are always "nutters" around. But our fear and perceptions of risk altered our behaviour.
Debbie Slater
Perth, WA
