It's an important thing to examine, but remember for this predator that the first murdered girl they tied to him was outside of a rock concert.
The first two he raped were on different college campuses in Va, and the one he beat to a pulp and raped was in a residential area carrying her groceries.
This is about a man looking for the opportunity to attack anywhere it was dark or where he thought he could get the women alone. Unless we women are going to have male escorts to walk us to our doors without fail, he's kind of the worst nightmare scenario. He's a really, really big dude, too
There are things you can do to help ameliorate the chances of someone like that choosing to prey on you, and to escape if he does.
I am NOT, in any way, blaming the victims for not escaping or behaving in some way that 'caused' what happened. Their actions are of no consequence, to begin with, but it's also not even stuff that anyone could say would 'cause' an attack if they were into victim blaming.
Only saying because of the pup's male escort/he's a big guy post. He was, and walking in any kinds of pairs is a good safety thing in a solitary area.
However, the more confident and aware someone appears when walking - head up, shoulders back, good pace, alert, as if you're purposefully going someplace and aware of your surroundings, as opposed to strolling more slowly scrolling through your phone, or head down, hands in pockets, nervous, the less likely someone like this is to mess with you. It can still happen, but opportunistic predators don't want trouble. The more alert and, for lack of a better word, strong (not necessarily physically, just in that upright, walking confidently and purposefully way) someone looks, the more trouble they're likely to be to grab and drag off.
It can also help to play out scenarios, even just in your head. That's a lot of what self-defense classes do. It's not so much about learning lots of fighting techniques, but practicing a response. It's shocking to be grabbed or threatened, and people go still; that's normal. You can practice thinking about how you could make noise, kick, flail, punch, scream things that will cause a ruckus ('Rape!' and 'Fire!' tend to bring people). Stuff like that has caused attackers to just drop people they were trying to drag off and run, because it's trouble and will attract attention.
Nothing's guaranteed, but there are things that can help.
Also, just btw, never, ever, ever, under any circumstance, if you can at all avoid it, get in a vehicle or go with someone who is attempting to take you to a second location. Never. If someone grabs you, has a gun, and tells you to get in his car, run, kick, or tell him to shoot you right there. Do not ever get in the car; do anything to not go to a second location from where you are.
