From: dcrosgr@uoft02.utoledo.edu
Newsgroups: talk.rape
Subject: Re: Walking her to the car.
Date: 14 Aug 92 00:09:17 EST
Organization: University of Toledo, Computer Services

In article <1992Aug13.224400.23426@ncar.ucar.edu>, sheehan@pagosa.scd.ucar.edu (Tim Sheehan) writes:
> In article <1992Aug13.004156.9383@uoft02.utoledo.edu>, dcrosgr@uoft02.utoledo.edu writes:
>> In article <1992Aug12.171700.11453@ncar.ucar.edu>, sheehan@pagosa.scd.ucar.edu (Tim Sheehan) writes:
>> 
>> > 
>> > Based on my experience, I offer the following suggestions:
>> > 
>> > <deleted>
>> > 
>> > 4) If someone is going through a dangerous area, or driving in 
>> > dangerous conditions, have them call when they get home.
>> > 
>> 
>> You do realize that this one is solely for the peace of mind of the person who
>> is already home. Figure, if they get stopped or raped along the way, what are
>> you going to do? Go looking for them when they don't call? IF you find them,
>> the event they needed to be protected from is probably long over.
>> 
>> DC
> 
> I disagree. It by no means guarantees complete safety, but it is one
> way to increase it.
> 
> Hypothetical situation. I drop my girlfriend off at her house at
> 1:00 a.m. I've got a 20 minute drive home through a bad part of
> town. My car breaks down 10 minutes into my trip.
> 
> Now, I'm a sitting duck. My choices are to lay low in my car, or to
> walk. From my way of thinking, walking makes me much more visible. So
> I sit in my car because I know that my girlfriend will call my house
> when she doesn't hear from me. When she gets no answer, she will trace
> the route I drive, pick me up, and I can worry about my car (or its
> remains) tomorrow. Now, my risk was reduced and I am safe because I
> was supposed to call her back.
> 
> Sure, there is the possibility that by the time she gets there, all 
> remains of me is the memories, but the chances of that have been 
> reduced because the amount of time I have had to stay in the area 
> is limited by the fact that I am supposed to call her. Additionally, 
> if I had been attacked, and she finds me, I get medical attention 
> that much sooner - that in itself could save my life.

How long after your ETA before she should trudge out and try to find you?

And, it is more likely you will be delayed by some non-threatening situation--
cop pulling you over, accident involving others, slow moving train, than your
car will break down near muggers.

Just as you get home, having been delayed by 15 minutes for a train, girlfriend
has exercised one of three choices:

1. Call the police, who will tell her to cal lback in 23 hours when you can
file a missing person's report.

2. Get out into her car and drive through the same bad section of town that
worried you.

3. Wait a while longer before choosing either one or two.

If you look very carefully, overall this tactic does not lower the odds of
something bad happening to the leaving party very much. It does, however, raise
the odds for the party who has been dropped off IF they should go out looking
for you when you are late.

What this 'call-me-when-you-get-there' does is permits the party who is at home
to rest easy and not worry about whther or not you made it safely.

I do not believe it significantly lowers your odds of being a victim by much.
It does however, increase the other party's odds of being a victim if they go
out hunting for you.

Unless, of course they make it to where you live while you are half way back to
where they live. (When you called, no one was home so you drive back to her
place to make sure nothing happened to her.)

I'm not saying don't do this. Just make sure you know exactly what is expected
of each other so mistaken assumptions are not done, resulting in what you are
trying to avoid.

DC