Thanks for posting such a notable & appreciated article
@timr.
As a solo female walker & one who has tackled the VF, it strikes me in a few ways;
i/ it sums up the heightened level of awareness solo women (travellers especially) exercise almost every moment we are 'out there'...whether we believe we are operating at that level or not, it's instinctive & constant...to such a point it is a normal way of being for us
&
ii/ as men don't have the same 'concerns' as women, they may not be mindful of the potential threat they pose to a woman's feeling of safety merely by their presence. There are simple, small things men can do to help alleviate the alarm we naturally feel in circumstances of vulnerability (alone, remote or isolated).
An example I experienced on a long distance trail (I think it was Spain); a man was standing behind me as I withdrew cash from an ATM...it made me uneasy. I glanced over my shoulder at him to assess any threat potential. He saw this, recognised my anxiety & went & stood on the other side of the road until I had finished & was walking away. Words cannot express my gratitude for his awareness & the small action taken to change the way I felt in that moment.
Be safe everyone...aware, cautious, sensible...but never let fear stop us.