Eight out of 10 students say they don’t feel safe walking home

In a survey conducted by The Tab, 80 per cent of students said they don’t feel safe walking home. It comes after the Metropolitan Police said London streets are safe for women following the murder of Sabina Nessa.

Last Friday 28-year-old school teacher Sabina Nessa was reported missing and the following day her body was discovered in Cadot Park, Greenwich. The Metropolitan Police has launched a murder investigation as it is believed Sabina was killed during the five minute walk she took from her home to the pub where she was planning on meeting friends.

Following the announcement of her murder there has been an outcry on social media at the lack of safety for women walking by themselves. Many women shared how they often change routes, stick to well lit paths or only travel home with friends in order to feel safer from male violence whilst walking. Writer Kimberly McIntosh said she extended her route home yesterday by 20 minutes even though she knows “you can’t outmanoeuvre violence by changing your route.”

This week the Metropolitan Police promised the streets of London were safe for women.

Detective Chief Superintendent Trevor Lawry said: “The streets are safe for women, I’d like to reassure the public around that.

“I’d like to make sure that people are free to walk around free from fear and my officers will make sure that that can take place.”

The Tab surveyed over 2,000 students about their safety concerns and the areas of their public and personal lives in which they feel most unsafe.

An overwhelming majority of students said they did not feel safe walking home, 77 per cent said they did not feel safe on public transport and 76 per cent felt unsafe after reporting an incident to the police.

The areas students felt most safe appeared to be with family, friends, at home and at work.

Related stories recommended by this writer:

•These are the vigils being held for Sabina Nessa across the country

•A lot of promises were made after Sarah Everard’s death, but what has actually changed?

•Say her name: This is how you can help raise awareness of Sabina Nessa’s murder