Fear of the Dark

by cellomould 4 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  cellomould

  We fear that we are more likely to be victims of crime at night...what do the statistics say?

  Well, check out this website for starters:

  http://www.syz.com/rasc/lp/ncrime.html

  A whole industry has sprung up around "security" lighting, feeding on the public's fear of darkness, foisting poorly designed, glare-prone, overly bright light fixtures on a public that has blended its justifiable concern for property and personal safety with a misplaced fear of darkness. Feelings about darkness are so entrenched that the words "security lighting" are accepted unquestionably as a positive description of these light fixtures. Yet, think about the very similar "security blanket." This conjures up images of youngsters with a misplaced faith in the protective properties of their favourite "blanky" or Charles Shulz's famous Peanuts' character, Linus, and his indispensable fabric. Remember laughing at the trouble Linus' "security blanket" got him into with the rambunctious Snoopy? Charles Shulz loved to remind us of the difference between belief and actuality with these antics.

  "Security" lighting is primarily about making the purchasers feel better - not necessarily improving their odds with criminals.

  By the way, I was walking home at around 12:00 midnight the other day when a guy in a white car tried to pick me up. I am a guy too, in case anyone was wondering!

  Well, I wasn't feeling as lonely as he was that night, so I told him off. ( I guess my reaction would have been different if he was twice my size...probably would have run!)

  cellmould
• 

  RubyTuesday

  ...Most crimes commited on me were after dark.I'm not afraid of the dark...just what lurks there.

  Edited by - rubytuesday on 17 January 2003 17:1:55
• 

  cellomould

  HI Ruby,

  I'm sorry to hear that you have been victimized.

  One thing that irks me is that our environment is not safe for women. I am ashamed to be male when I read about sexual assaults.

  In 2001, while overall violent crimes were more likely to occur during the day than at the night, some crimes exhibited different patterns.
  
  In 2001, 57% of incidents of violent crime occurred between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Almost two-thirds of rapes/sexual assaults occurred at night -- 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

  http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/cvict_c.htm

  cellmould
• 

  Solace

  Cello,

  When its dark, I walk a little faster and look over my shoulder a little more often.

  Ther are just more places to hide when its dark, ya know?

  Who knows, maybe its just cuz I grew up in the city.
• 

  cellomould

  Hey Heaven,

  A good thing to remember is that, contrary to popular opinion, common criminals do not love darkness. Nobody does.

  I have thought about that too, that someone could be hiding around the next corner at night to kill me or something crazy like that...but why would that person not fear the same thing happening to him? (or her...although the thought of a woman waiting for me in the dark is kinda sexy)

  cellmould