12/16/2019 A curfew for men?

What a great idea

NATIONAL FEMINISM

OPINION

A curfew for men? What a great

idea
By Melinda Houston
July 9, 2018 — 3.05pm

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Gretel Lamont's recent letter in these pages "No men allowed out after dark"?
What a Totally. Awesome. Idea. I have, quite genuinely, been racking my brain as
to what we can realistically do to ensure women’s safety after dark.

Demanding safe passage at all hours, regardless of where we are, what we’re
wearing or our blood-alcohol level is all very well but that is never going to
happen, no matter how much “education” there is. There are always going to be
random Evil Dudes out there.

So how do we shift responsibility for women’s safety from the victims to the
perpetrators?

Adding her bit to the debate – and in response to the suggestion from yet another
letter-writer that women shouldn’t walk alone at night – Ms Lamont came up
with perhaps the most practical and efficient solution yet. A curfew on men.
Genius.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/a-curfew-for-men-what-a-great-idea-20180709-p4zqev.html 1/2
12/16/2019 A curfew for men? What a great idea

Under the new regime any men out after dark would have to be accompanied by a responsible
female.

There are a number of options. One is simply to ban all men from being on the
streets or on public transport after, say, 9.30pm (10.30pm daylight saving). Which
is effectively the restriction currently placed on women.

As females, once we’re out and about after dark, post-peak hour, we all know we’re
in potential danger. So let’s shift the burden back on to the blokes – who certainly
could be at large after curfew if they chose to but would know they’re at constant
risk of being caught and spending the night in lock-up. (Which, in the scheme of
things, still isn’t as bad as the risk of being raped and murdered.)

But how about when I want to, say, go out and have dinner or a few drinks with
male friends? Well, right now, at the conclusion of an evening’s festivities one or
more of my male companions see me safely into a taxi. But under the new regime
any men out after dark would have to be accompanied by a responsible female,
and escorted in person to appropriate transport. It’s completely do-able. I can
attest to it. I’ve been doing it for decades.

Same rules for any chap who works nights.

And if you can’t afford a taxi or an Uber or arrange for a friend to collect you?
Well, gentlemen, you’d have to take your chances, just as the ladies currently do.
(See above re risk of arrest and imprisonment v risk of gruesome, terrifying
death.)

I know it sounds untenable when the bare bones are laid out like this but I – and
every other woman in Australia – can assure you that it’s irritating, sure, but you
do get used to it. Eventually it’ll become second nature.

And I know now the idea is out there – and given the passion of our political
leaders for law and order and keeping us all safe – draft legislation can’t be far
away.

Melinda Houston is a Fairfax Media contributor.

https://www.theage.com.au/national/a-curfew-for-men-what-a-great-idea-20180709-p4zqev.html 2/2