A few weeks ago I went for an early morning run alone. When I got back I was drinking some coffee and scrolling through the news and saw the second article in 3 days about a woman jogger who was murdered less than a mile from her home. Then I saw the comments that were left in response to the article, the gist of which were "she shouldn’t have been running alone." I don’t think the people who were commenting intended this to be a criticism of the deceased. I think they were trying to indicate it would be safer to do outdoor activities with a buddy or a group. They are right, it is safer, that’s why we are taught the buddy system in elementary school right? But my emotional response to these comments was "its not fair." Why should women have to workout inside or at the gym or with a partner in order to stay safe? What kind of society do we live in that it’s the victim's responsibility to not be somewhere doing something completely normal in order to not get killed?

Here is the thing, the article did scare me. I thought of all the things that could have happened to me on my run. I then started to play out all the other fears I encounter on a daily basis, just because I am a woman. I have to worry about my surroundings all the time. I have to consider when it's too late to safely take the subway home. I often wonder if I will be safe going to certain areas on my own. If a man gives me a compliment on the street I have to consider what to say. Too much acknowledgement and they think it's an invitation. Too little and it incites rage. I've lived in NYC for 10 years and every area I've moved to I have needed to consider if it is a place I feel safe enough to walk home at night alone. So, even if I weren't a runner, these concerns would still all be there, in the back of my mind, everyday. I am sure I'm not the only one. Check out this BuzzFeed article about all the things women avoid doing out of fear: https://www.buzzfeed.com/juliegerstein/29-things-women-avoid-doing-out-of-fear-for-our-safety?utm_term=.jk8R6LN0r#.kx0abdgAL. Given that this is a pervasive issue that most women contend with on some level, I began to wonder; what are the psychological effects of having to be concerned for your own safety on a daily basis?

1.Our bodies react poorly

Constantly feeling threatened and overwhelmed by fear leads to a weakening of our immune systems. It can also cause gastrointestinal problems, headaches, fatigue, cardiovascular issues, and decreased fertility in women.

2. Our mental health is threatened

Living in fear or under the threat of being harmed causes many psychological issues. Studies have shown that that "women are 70% more likely than men to experience depression and twice as likely to have an anxiety disorder. IT has been suggested that one reason why there is such a disparity between men and women's mental health issues is that women are forced to live in a culture that does not value them.

3.Our self esteem is negatively affected.

When women are objectified it leaves them with a lot of feelings. Disgust, anger, sadness, vulnerability, insecurity, and shame. Over time as men catcall, threaten, or actually attack these feelings build and begin to make us believe that we are objects. We begin to believe what the world is telling us, we are helpless, damaged, only useful as sexual objects, and incapable of feeling safe. Overall this leads to a feeling of being worthless and lowers our self-esteem.

4. Our brain power is weakened

Our long term memories are affected by consistent fear. Parts of our brain can even be damaged living in this state. The parts of our brain that regulate emotions are also affected impacting our ability to act ethically, reflect on our actions before making a move, and read nonverbal cues.

So what do we do with this information? I don’t know the answer. I don't know how we can feel safe in a world where women are objectified, threatened, abused, raped, and killed for no other reason than they are out and alone. What I do know is we should keep talking about it, writing about it, and seeking treatment for what we can safely call the trauma of being a woman in the current state of the world. Keeping the dialogue going will at least help us to share the burden, even if it won't resolve it.