Safety in Perth - Women, Men Reveal They Feel Unsafe in City at Night - PerthNow

18/05/2019 Safety in Perth: Women, men reveal they feel unsafe in city at night | PerthNow
Ella was repeatedly punched in an unprovoked attack in the city in April by a teenage girl near the train
station. Picture: Ross Swanborough
Perth
Safety in Perth: Women, men reveal they feel unsafe in

city at night
Kate Campbell PerthNow
July 1, 2018 12:00AM
TOPICS WA News
ELLA used to feel safe, and used to be a trusting person.
That all changed around 1am on April 15 when the 21-year-old make-up artist was with a
female friend near the Perth train station, waiting for the Uber rates to go down before she
ordered a ride home to Carramar after a night out in the city.
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/perth/safety-in-perth-women-men-reveal-they-feel-unsafe-in-city-at-night-ng-b88879933z 1/10
Ella’s injuries
A group of teenagers sidled up to them, asking for $10 and to use their mobile phone.
Ell li l d li d b h b f i li h
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/perth/safety-in-perth-women-men-reveal-they-feel-unsafe-in-city-at-night-ng-b88879933z “ d” b i 2/10
Ella politely declined both requests before a teenage girl in the group “snapped” by trying
to punch her friend, pushing her to the ground and kicking her in the ribs.
Ella, who didn’t want her surname published, tried to get the girl to stop, but the attacker
then turned on her — repeatedly punching her in the face and head, leaving her with a
nasty black eye.
There was plenty of people around to witness the quick and frenzied assault, but the
group only ran off after transit guards stepped in. Ella said she reported the unprovoked
attack to police, but her attacker still hasn’t been caught because the incident was
apparently not captured on CCTV cameras.
Ella shared her scary story after last week’s coverage of Perth women speaking out about
feeling unsafe on their own in Perth.
“I’m now definitely more aware of what’s going on around me and I don’t trust people as
much or as easily as I did before,” she said. “(Outside a train station in the city) is a place
where you should feel safe.”
Ella said her ordeal had made her feel uneasy and wary wherever she went, including
being among the big crowd for football games at Optus Stadium.
“I tend to go out in a bigger group of people and as soon as I want to go home, I’ll go home
no matter how expensive an Uber is,” she said.
“It costs me a bit more money in the long run but I’d rather be safe.
“Just be aware of your surroundings, you can never be too safe. Until something happens
to you or someone that you know, you don’t necessarily think it’s going to happen to you.”
Ella knows it’s not just women who feel unsafe.
“It’s boys too. I heard of one who got stabbed in his shoulder. It seems to be getting worse
and worse in the city,” she said.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) figures show WA women are among the most fearful
in the country when it comes to walking alone at night or catching public transport on
their own after dark.
Attacked: Ella was repeatedly punched near the Perth train station. Picture: Ross Swanborough
ABS data published this week revealed 59 per cent of assault victims in WA lasy year were
female, the highest proportion of any State.
A PerthNow poll this week attracted an overwhelming response — out of 12,000 votes, 76
per cent (or 9100) said they did not feel safe walking alone at night in Perth.
‘WE ARE SCARED’

LAST Sunday, The Sunday Times did a special report on safety in Perth.
It generated an unprecedented response on PerthNow. Here are some of the comments

you submitted when we simply asked “Do you feel safe?”
FACEBOOK
PerthNow
about 11 months ago
Do you feel safe walking home alone at night in Perth?
24% Yes
76% No
This poll has ended. 12K Vot
40 133 23
“Nope. My daughter and I were assaulted on the streets of Fremantle on Tuesday at 6.30.
Just walking to the 7/11 for hot chocolate. Fortunately the female has been arrested. She
hit my daughter in the head and punched me in the jaw.”
– Annie Well
“I f l f idi h b f N Y k B kl
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/perth/safety-in-perth-women-men-reveal-they-feel-unsafe-in-city-at-night-ng-b88879933z h Id lki i 4/10
“I felt safer at 10.30pm riding the subway from New York to Brooklyn than I do walking in
Perth and Northbridge at night. And that’s saying something.”
– Alina Collard
“I realised I don’t even feel safe walking alone during the day. I live in Bunbury and went
for a walk yesterday and as I entered some wooded areas realised I was holding my keys in
a way to use them as a weapon in the case of an attack. It may be over-reacting but it
doesn’t feel safe anymore to be alone off the beaten track, even in the morning ... the area
isn’t the problem, it’s the feeling of fear that something unpredictable can happen to us
when walking alone.”
– Ciara Tóchar
“I feel safer walking around London, than I ever have in Perth. I don’t know if it’s because
I was aware there is CCTV everywhere, or the fact people just look past you, or that there
is always loads of people around, or that the streets are better lit.”
– Kristel Arundel
“As our city and suburbs become more populated our councils really should have to
upgrade the silly system of having a footpath on only one side of the street. ”
– Hazel Dickinson
“I don’t even feel safe in my own home at night. I lock me and my kiddos in my bedroom
and leave my car keys and wallet on the kitchen bench.”
–Ashleigh Solomon
“I don’t always feel comfortable but I’ve always felt safe. That said, I am a 5’9" bearded
white dude so I’m probably not a viable target for most trouble.”
– Luke Marsden
“Yes (I feel safe), but I’m a 6'5" 120kg male. Do I think females are safe walking at night?
No.”
– Mei Lewis
“I don’t even feel safe putting the bins out at night.”
– Amy Strom
“I feel safer walking by myself in Bali than here.”
– Linda Smith-ince North
“A Id ’ f l f ”
“As a man I don’t even feel safe.”
– Jayden Davies-Smith
“I think some of us get a bit precious ... one thing that deters an attacker is a woman
walking strong and confident with her head held high and showing no signs of fear ...
having survived an attack on my own life in my own bedroom by an intruder, I know I can
fight for my life ... own the night and your space ... get back in the face of someone who
makes you feel threatened, as I found they are more afraid than you are.”
– Jocelyn McLennan
“Honestly felt safer in Serbia and Romania than in Perth.”
– Hela Freyja Mircea
“Had more problems in Perth in nine months than in my previous 50 years. And I am a
big, older male.”
– Stephen Ermann
“I walked all around the CBD last night by myself even up to the Barracks, no problems.”
– Ali Anderson
“I’m scared to work in the city. Coming home on the train is an awful experience ... and
the fact that it gets dark at 5.15-ish is now a worry.”
– Jess Jamieson
“I felt safer walking down laneways in Melbourne than walking just in my neighbourhood
any time.”
– Paige Spring
“The street lighting here is far too dull and creepy, even walking in the day alone here is
scary.”
– Maxine Whittick
“Feel safer in Thailand or Singapore.”
– Dame Edna Brown
“Nope, last time I was in the city at night I got spat on by an Aboriginal woman and her
kid. Was just minding my own business with Pokemon Go.
– Aaron Watson
“J h d dP hh i Of i d h i P
https://www.perthnow.com.au/news/perth/safety-in-perth-women-men-reveal-they-feel-unsafe-in-city-at-night-ng-b88879933z h b i’ h 6/10
“Just the standard Perth hysteria. Of course crime does happen in Perth, but it’s nowhere
near the level being implied in these comments.”
– Melanie Murray
“I’m legally blind and I walk around at night and yet I could be attacked at any time, but I
don’t let that get in the way of how I live my life or how I go and do things. Yes it happens
a lot to women but it happens to everybody. Why is this topic always about women? It
should be about men, women, children, the elderly and disabled.”
– Robbert Fraser
“There’s a million men in Perth, bound to be a couple of dodgy ones. Don’t live your life in
fear but don’t be unwise.”
– Jarred Hunt
From around the web
Millionaire by 26: Learn Adam Khoo's Stock Best SIP PLANS for Indians Living Abroad.
Investing Secrets Invest ₹18k/M & Get 2 Crore Return on
Maturity.
Wealth Academy investmentlife.policybazaar.com
Markets are now in late cycle. What's next The economy is in late cycle. Here's how to
for investors? invest
Schroders Schroders
Check Out India's Top Investment Plans For Want to learn how to take more effective
NRIs and efficient Board Meeting Minutes?
Coverfox Diligent
Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About 10 Ways to Run More Effective Board
Cyber Threats Meetings - Diligent
Diligent Diligent
5 Questions to ask when Searching for a 25 Insanely Cool Products from the USA
Board Portal Finally in Singapore
Diligent Next Tech
Why We’re Upgrading Our ElderShield Plan Forget About Changing A Flat Tyre With
and you should too! Bridgestone’s latest DriveGuard Run-Flat
Technology
Parents Step By Step Torque - Singapore's number 1 monthly car
RECOMMENDED BY
BACK TO TOP
News
Sport
Entertainment
Business
Lifestyle
Subscribe to the Paper

Digital Edition
Advertise on PerthNow
Privacy Policy
Code of Conduct
Editorial Complaints
Terms of Use
The West Australian

7plus
7NEWS.com.au
7travel
Better Homes and Gardens
Marie Claire
New Idea
SocietyOne
Airtasker
© Seven West Media (WA)

Safety in Perth - Women, Men Reveal They Feel Unsafe in City at Night - PerthNow

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Safety in Perth - Women, Men Reveal They Feel Unsafe in City at Night - PerthNow

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

18/05/2019 Safety in Perth: Women, men reveal they feel unsafe in city at night | PerthNow

Safety in Perth: Women, men reveal they feel unsafe in

ELLA used to feel safe, and used to be a trusting person.

Ella knows it’s not just women who feel unsafe.

‘WE ARE SCARED’

It generated an unprecedented response on PerthNow. Here are some of the comments

Do you feel safe walking home alone at night in Perth?

“I don’t even feel safe putting the bins out at night.”

“I feel safer walking by myself in Bali than here.”

– Linda Smith-ince North

“Honestly felt safer in Serbia and Romania than in Perth.”

– Hela Freyja Mircea

“Feel safer in Thailand or Singapore.”

– Dame Edna Brown

From around the web

Diligent Next Tech

Subscribe to the Paper

The West Australian

© Seven West Media (WA)

You might also like