As a working musician, I can't count the number of times I turned down a gig simply because of the part of town it was in and the time of night I would have to get me and my guitar home. I amy be a rock chick, but I'm 5'4", skinny and pretty weak; my 6-foot 200lb roadies would just laugh and say "it's only the Cobalt, damn, girl, I'm there every night of the week drunk off my ass and nothing's ever happened" and there was nothing I could do that would make them see that it wasn't the same for me, and I wasn't letting the band do the gig unless someone would drive me home - preferably one of them. The worst was actually the one dear, sweet, well-meaning dude who insisted that I didn't need him to come with me and I was out of my mind, because HE would never rape, mug, or threaten a woman and thus wouldn't believe that I would believe that anyone would. Despite a friend of mine having had someone grab her from behind and try to choke her (didn't find out why, she knows martial arts) THE WEEK BEFORE. In a safer neighbourhood. It was just... I couldn't decide if he was part of the solution, or part of the problem...

I don't know. It seems like there isn't much we can do besides carrying pepper spray and a phone at all times. *sigh*