However, to draw a stark comparison, Katz then poses the exact same question to the women in the room.

“Women throughout the audience immediately start raising their hands. As the men sit in stunned silence, the women recount safety precautions they take as part of their daily routine,” says Katz.

And their answers make for an extensive list:

Hold my keys as a potential weapon.
Look in the back seat of the car before getting in.
Carry a cell phone.
Don’t go jogging at night.
Lock all the windows when I sleep, even on hot summer nights.
Be careful not to drink too much.
Don’t put my drink down and come back to it; make sure I see it being poured.
Own a big dog.
Carry Mace or pepper spray.
Have an unlisted phone number.
Have a man’s voice on my answering machine.
Park in well-lit areas.
Don’t use parking garages.
Don’t get on elevators with only one man, or with a group of men.
Vary my route home from work.
Watch what I wear.
Don’t use highway rest areas.
Use a home alarm system.
Don’t wear headphones when jogging.
Avoid forests or wooded areas, even in the daytime.
Don’t take a first-floor apartment.
Go out in groups.
Own a firearm.
Meet men on first dates in public places.
Make sure to have a car or cab fare.
Don’t make eye contact with men on the street.
Make assertive eye contact with men on the street.

Thankfully, as Britton has noted, the pendulum is beginning to swing the other way. As we reported earlier today, Plan International has published seven tips on how to prevent sexual assault.

Rather than tell women to dress appropriately or avoid poorly lit areas, though, the campaign has focused on telling men how they should behave in public. For example, they are advised to “leave a good amount of distance” between themselves and women when walking at night, and not to stare or make comments, as this could be viewed as “intimidating”.

You can see all of the tips here.

Image: Getty

The stark message behind Fern Britton’s sexual assault story