Can Solo Women Cruisers Feel Safe?

[Ex-Calif]

This thread has taken a turn for the worse. The topic is Can Solo Women Cruisers Feel Safe?

- It has become political
- It has become personal
- It is bordering on a gun thread and we don't do gun threads here

I would caution that the topic of women's safety in big American cities is off topic for this thread and for this forum.

Let's all take a deep breath and consider what we write carefully. This is a good topic and would be a shame to have to close it out.

[Southern Star]

The problem, Dan, is that when someone proposes that the only way for a cruising woman to actually be safe is if they are experts in the martial arts, armed or both, opposing views are not only appropriate, but necessary. I suspect that virtualy all of us would rather this thread return to the discussion of the actual risks and how to minimize them; surely everyone knows that guns and martial arts training are available, but exaggerated portrayals of the risks and the suggestion that there is NO other solution got the response it deserved.

Brad

[Jace]

"I would caution that the topic of women's safety in big American cities is off topic for this thread and for this forum." Ex-Calif

I don't know that I would agree with you on all your points, even the one quoted above. I've found some of the Moderators to be somewhat on the biased liberal side and was surprised to see my posts not taken down while leaving the other, more left, ones up.

But hey, you're the Mod, so I'll defer to you and your wishes. I am one who can discuss a subject without anger clouding the issue, but I realize that not everyone is as even keeled.

Thanks.

www.joekeck.com

[sae140]

"People see what people see", a.k.a. Perceptual Filters.

A policeman may only see a society full of crime, whereas a priest may see his world as so many souls to be saved. A doctor may see his or her world as sick people in need of cures, whereas a thief may see his world only in terms of 'marks', or opportunities to rob. Americans, it would seem, tend to see their world in terms of danger - at least that's the view of Michael Moore.

As I read through earlier posts of this thread I kept thinking to myself, "this isn't the world that I know", and images from Moore's 'Bowling for Columbine' kept re-appearing in my mind.
If you've seen Moore's film you will know that he demonstrates - fairly conclusively, to my mind - that a culture of fear has permeated through American society, largely due to the media identifying fear as being that which attracts audiences, and thus revenue. There was one instance when he asked an outside broadcast unit which incident they would choose for their headline: multiple roads deaths or a single death from shooting ? They chose the latter.

That this 'culture of fear' is primarily an American phenomenon, Moore demonstrated by simply crossing over the border into Canada, where although close to the Canadian-U.S. border, in marked contrast he found front doors unlocked and much less concern over crime and security.

One of the problems here is that once a climate of fear is set in motion, it becomes self-perpetuating: people begin to see the world only in terms of potential danger, and this then focuses their minds upon this one narrow aspect of life.
This thread is one such example - the more you dwell upon issues of potential danger, the more danger you will see, the more fearful you will become, and the greater focus you will begin to place upon methods of countering numerous imagined scenarios. Each time you hear of an act of aggression being perpetrated upon another you will say, "there - I told you so ...", but you will never rate acts of kindness and generosity as having equal but opposite merit, and thus a balanced perspective will never be achieved.

Of course there are many dangers 'out there' in the wider world, but do not let a preoccupation with them blind you to the many positive aspects of interacting with your fellow human beings.

[TaoJones]

Excellent observations, sae140.

TaoJones

[Pelagic]

Well said sae 140!

I think it is one of the more interesting psychological ironies of being a cruiser, that your vehicle enables you to often meet complete strangers in remote, un-policed locations.

It is also perfectly natural that when strangers from different cultures first meet under those circumstance, that some form of stress and scrutiny will initially dominate that interaction.

What unfolds after that is a series of subliminal confirmations on body language, risk exposure and social control before that stress can be replaced with enjoyment.

…it is purely judgmental!

Can Solo Women (or Any) Cruisers Feel Safe?

I believe, you can only feel safe in your judgment and since that is mostly clouded by your perception of a stranger’s motives…(good or bad), whatever transpires will be somewhat “self-fulfilling”.

You can chose to live in fear, or just simply…to live on the assumption that “most” strangers are safe!

Having a security plan to deal with the exceptions are personal solutions outside the scope of the OP’s question.

[brightnsunny]

Everyone is so concerned to be "safe." We women and men are never safe. The house could burn down while we sleep. If we ride a horse we may fall. If we sail we may encounter a storm that overwhelms us.

We are less likely to be injured or killed by strangers than saved by strangers.

[barnakiel]

But why do you have to go to dangerous places? Why not cruise where it is safe?

b.

[S&S]

Originally Posted by barnakiel

But why do you have to go to dangerous places? Why not cruise where it is safe?

b.

Above 35N and below 35S? Because aside from me and a few other nuts, most like the warm spots. It's risk manangement.

[barnakiel]

The only places I have seen trouble were - Cabo Verde, Panama, RSA, Brasil - four countries out of perhaps 40 that we visited. So I think one can stay between the tropics and still sail a safe and happy life.

I have the feeling that many cruisers just carry their fear (and their guns) all the way with them. But if one sees the world as a dangerous rather than a wonderful place then why leave their well guarded fortress and go cruising ?

People with guns are dangerous people, whether they are dark-skinned and rowing a dug-out or light-skinned and "cruising". The true danger is not in the arms but in the mindset.

b.

[nautical62]

Originally Posted by Jace

"consider that historically in the U.S., most violent crime victims are not women but rather men." - nautical62

To nautical62 -
And can we check to see how many of the crimes against women are ones committed by men?

Many are committed by men, but the issue was not about what gender commits crimes, but rather who the victims are.

[sqrtof2]

If I listened to all this I would be totally discouraged in my new endeavor. I am a fairly small 56 year old teacher/coach with no experience as a cruiser.
What I do believe is that cruising solo can not be much different from living solo. In the past 20 years, I have been robbed, stalked, abused, hurt in student fights at school and had my house and car vandalized. I survived.
I want to head to the seas solo. If there is anyone out there waiting to make my life miserable, bring it on! I'm a survivor!
I intend to live my dream no matter what!
Smaller, maybe. Less determined, I think not!

[Jace]

"If I listened to all this I would be totally discouraged in my new endeavor. I am a fairly small 56 year old teacher/coach with no experience as a cruiser.
What I do believe is that cruising solo can not be much different from living solo. In the past 20 years, I have been robbed, stalked, abused, hurt in student fights at school and had my house and car vandalized. I survived.
I want to head to the seas solo. If there is anyone out there waiting to make my life miserable, bring it on! I'm a survivor!
I intend to live my dream no matter what!
Smaller, maybe. Less determined, I think not!"

To sqrtof2 -
Let me just say you support all I have said and prove my point well. Thanks.

www.joekeck.com

[barnakiel]

Originally Posted by sqrtof2

... If there is anyone out there waiting to make my life miserable, bring it on! I'm a survivor!...

In the case of piracy / criminality vs. the sailor, avoiding trouble is a better attitude than confronting it.

Sail where it is safe.

Sailing with the preconception that there might be someone somewhere waiting to make your life miserable is sailing a miserable life.

Sail where it is safe.

Do you think it is more ... ?... beautiful ...?... where the the mean people live? More sunny?

Sail where it is safe.

b.

[sqrtof2]

Now a can of florescent orange spray paint beside my berth makes me feel safer.