Julia W. was perusing the website of an Irish car insurance company, Insure. The website had a special section devoted to “women drivers – driving alone.” They introduce the topic like this:
It is, unfortunately, a fact of life that a woman on the streets alone, whether as driver, a cyclist or a pedestrian, is vulnerable to attack. If you are driving there are some basic precautions you can take.
And the site continues with a set of instructions (sampled below). Of course, all drivers are vulnerable to attackers. Even if women are statistically more vulnerable, both men and women can benefit from taking safety precautions. Even the big, scary, male people are no match for a gun. And, yet, vulnerability itself is constructed here as uniquely female and women are seen as categorically at risk.
Comments 37
Tomato Sauce — July 11, 2010
Close-by, in England, muggings are proportionately higher than in other so-called "developed countries". One awareness campaign poster which I saw stated that men were twice as likely to be mugged as women (more precisely, men accounted for 2/3 of mugging victims). This contradicts the claim above.
Tomato Sauce — July 11, 2010
This fact sheet says that in Northern Ireland men are 3 times more likely than women to be victims of violent crimes: http://www.socsci.ulster.ac.uk/sociology/research/y%20publications/cyms_ru1.pdf
According to this fact sheet, 76% of victims of robberies in England are male:
http://www.idea.gov.uk/idk/core/page.do?pageId=8152052&aspect=print
Bob — July 11, 2010
"Even the big, scary, male people are no match for a gun."
I initially read this as the big, scary, male people being the assailants and the gun being used in self-defense. But perhaps you meant it was an armed assault and that even large burley men can't take on a teenage mugger with a pistol.
jagosaurus — July 11, 2010
And once again the onus is on the potential victims to protect themselves instead of pressure on would-be attackers to, you know, not attack.
I don't object to providing this sort of information to people and I don't think an insurance company is responsible for public safety, but I do object to the focus on women because women are constantly bombarded with this sort of information as if it is our responsibility to not be attacked (and therefore somehow our fault if we are).
Marianne — July 11, 2010
"Don't drive after dark in unfamiliar areas"... Well, they do have the "if you can avoid it" after, but did they ever hear about the Polar Night? If I am to follow this advice, I should stay at home between Early December and mid-January. Great idea.
Okay, I know I am one of *Very few* people in the world who might have this problem, but the darkness isn't dangerous. Seriously. You just have to pay more attention, and that's never a bad idea. Even in daylight, people should pay more attention to their surroundings!
T — July 11, 2010
This is an odd conversation so far... How many men are victims of sexual assault? 50%/50% or perhaps it's almost ALL women?
When information is disseminated, isn't it best to target a specific audience to try to mitigate the "this isn't about me"?
When driving, walking or biking alone... What sort of assault is life-altering and most horrific? Getting mugged, your cell phone stolen and maybe a little beat up? Or is it sexual assault?
Given the above -- What sort of education is the HIGHEST priority? A generic message that may or may not apply to me... or a targeted message for the "market segment" that is most vulnerable to the most egregious sort of assault?!
Simone Lovelace — July 12, 2010
It's interesting that they didn't mention one of the tactics that actually *is* associated with a lower risk of victimization: acting confident, assertive, and purposeful when walking alone.
Yoolka — July 12, 2010
Wow, I'm so happy my image got posted. Thanks!