‘I don’t feel safe walking the streets of Lincoln - and tracking women via CCTV is not the answer’
Recent events have caused the dangers women face daily to rear its ugly head but it's nothing new for Lincolnshire. I have been in Lincolnshire for four years now after moving here for university.
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My friends and I have always actively made sure we walk each other home after nights out and wait for that message that says "I'm home." If that message doesn't arrive promptly, the catastrophising soon kicks in and possibilities genuinely flood your mind of what could have happened.
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About the story
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This opinion piece was written in response to news of a new mobile phone app coming to the city where women could be monitored walking home with the intention of making the county and women feel safer. This was an example of using my platform to share my own voice in light of recent news and help represent women.
Once I started writing, the words flowed out of me and I felt like I was highlighting the experience of walking home alone in Lincoln as a woman. The article received a lot of engagement, leading to getting invited and going on Look North to share my thoughts on the new app.
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Over 200 University of Lincoln students took to the streets of Lincoln recently with powerful signs to stand up against sexual harassment and violence towards women to 'Reclaim the Night.' These moments where voices are heard in the city are such a crucial part of breaking the stigmas by showing the restricted sense of freedom that women face on a daily basis.
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I do think that there is a better discussion surrounding tackling violence against women and girls in Lincoln but it remains a societal issue with the objectification of women. Like many other women and girls, I have a deeply ingrained real fear of walking alone in the dark and I am constantly looking over my shoulder to check I am not being followed.
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I also went on to write a further opinion piece about the safety of women, which remained topical following the ‘Reclaim the Night’ protests by University of Lincoln students. I believe that whilst journalism focuses on remaining impartial, opinion pieces are important on occasion to show your own voice and connect with the audience. I also looked at research to back up my opinion in this piece.
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‘A restricted sense of freedom’: Women in Lincoln unable to walk alone in the dark
