A young woman reminded people of the low-key panic one feels while walking home alone at midnight and surviving the late-night dangers of the city.
Jessica McGirr from Ireland now lives in the concrete jungle of New York and has been documenting her experiences in the city that never sleeps.
In a recent video, she gave almost minute-to-minute updates of how frightened she was at different points of her commute back home.
Highlights
- Jessica McGirr shared a video of herself walking through the streets of NYC at midnight.
- In a recent video, she gave almost minute-to-minute updates of how frightened she was at different points of her commute.
- “This is literally me every time I go out,” a social media user commented on her video.
Along every stage of her journey, the 24-year-old woman shared her “scared level” out of 10. The score never dropped to zero until she reached home.
Jessica McGirr moved to Ireland from New York and recently documented her nighttime commute
Image credits: stock.adobe (not the actual photo)
“Walk home alone with me at midnight in NYC,” began the video that garnered nearly 230K views..
Giving an update at 12:05 a.m., Jessica said the streets were quiet.
“It’s very bright and peaceful this time of night,” so her “scared level” was at a comfortable “1/10.”
However, the rating changed within a matter of minutes as she was captured walking down a “tunnel of doom” at 12:08 a.m.
The 24-year-old woman gave constant updates about her late night journey in New York City
Image credits: jess.mcgirr
“I hate this blocked sidewalk tunnel of doom. Scared level 7/10,” the text said.
On the other side of the tunnel was another street, where she once again found lots of people walking about and driving around.
“No one sus about so far. Scared Level: 1/10,” she said.
As she walked on, the young adult went on “high alert” when she made her way to the subway station at 12:13 a.m.
Image credits: jess.mcgirr
“Descending into the hole, Not many people about, I am now on high alert,” Jessica said. “Ready to use my lulu bottle as a weapon if needed. Scared Level: 5/10.”
She then assessed the situation around her and found everyone minding their own business. Even though there weren’t too many people, there was nothing “sketchy,” she said.
“Going to stand beside the other girl and use her as my guardian. Scared Level: 4/10,” the TikToker wrote.
The content creator revealed she feels safe when she is in crowded places
Image credits: jess.mcgirr
After a safe subway ride, she got onto a busy bus with “lots of sleepy heads.”
At 12:43 a.m. came the “worst part of the journey.”
She had to walk alone to her house, and even though it was a safe area, she couldn’t help but quicken her pace and shoot a glance behind her before reaching the threshold of her home.
“Scared level: 7/10,” she wrote.
Image credits: stock.adobe (not the actual photo)
By 12:51 a.m., she was in the safe company of her friend Chloe, who was seen giving her applause after she made it back home.
“Yay, I survived the night! Chloe is relieved her only friend in NYC is still alive. Scared level: 0/10,” Jessica concluded. “Good night.”
Jill Reyes, Senior Director of the Safe Horizon Crime Victim Assistance Program, said videos like the one Jessica shared provides “an opportunity for conversation about women's safety navigating through the streets, subways, buses, and isolated areas of NYC.”
“The video give a true depiction of a woman's experience throughout various times as she navigates her commute home,” Reyes told Bored Panda via email.
“You notice when streets and areas have more visibility and lights available in certain areas of NYC compared to isolated areas, including seeing her run home in her neighborhood that has challenging visibility and less street lights that are on,” she continued.
“This is literally me every time I go out,” a social media user commented on her video
Image credits: jess.mcgirr
Several netizens commented on Jessica's video, with one saying: “So sad that we can’t feel safe going about our lives no matter what time of the day. You’re braver than me! Stay safe.”
“This is how I feel everytime I go out omg so real,” another wrote.
People from across the world said they could relate to what she was going through.
“I felt like this in London. Totally get you,” one said while another agreed, “Very brave. im the same in London. on high alert.”
“I live in the UK, visited New York for the first time last month for my birthday … beautiful city but yes, can be scary at times,” another said.
A fellow Irish netizen commented on her video saying, “Coming from Ireland I can’t believe there are buses at 12:30am.”
Image credits: stock.adobe (not the actual photo)
“This is literally me every time I go out here in Milan, but also back in Stockholm—basically everywhere. It sucks, but what to do? Better safe than sorry. Glad to see others being so aware!” another wrote.
“Scared level in Sweden: 1000/10 Every second when it’s dark or late,”
A viewer living in Spain said, “it was hard to me to watch this video… anyway, unfortunately we girls are not safe at any place… hugs from Spain lovely.
Jessica told Newsweek that she was from Ireland and had heard lots of spooky stories about the subway in New York.
“After a while, I began to realize that it isn't that unsafe,” she told the outlet.
Netizens from different countries shared their own experiences after Jessica's viral video
Image credits: jess.mcgirr
The content creator said she normally feels safe in crowded areas but sometimes feels nervous while waiting on platforms for her subway to arrive.
By sharing the video, “I just wanted to add another perspective to the narrative that is pushed a lot online that the subway is a no-go for all women after dark, which I personally think is not true,” she said.
But she also asserted that she lives in a “pretty safe” area and others in “less safe areas” might not have the same experience.
Image credits: jess.mcgirr
The subway in New York is no exception to horrific crimes.
A woman sleeping on a subway train in NYC died after being set on fire on December 22, leading to the arrest of a suspect.
Days later, a man was arrested for allegedly shoving a subway rider in front of an oncoming train on New Year’s Eve.
An unknown stabber repeatedly knifed a fellow passenger aboard a train in the Bronx in January, and earlier this month, two straphangers were slashed inside subways in separate attacks.
Jessica said she personally does not think the subway in NYC is a “no-go for all women after dark”
When asked whether there particular areas or times where women should be more cautious, Reyes said, “the areas of concern would be parks, isolated streets that are poorly lit and with little to no activity, leaving nightlife areas like bars, clubs, and restaurants.”
She asserted that it is important to remain “vigilant” at all times as crimes can occur throughout the day, but “there is an increase of crime happening at night.”
Some of the practical safety tips she suggested include, “being vigilant of your surroundings, sharing your location with a loved one, speaking on the phone with someone until you arrive home safely, downloading the Noonlight app, a safety app that connects users with emergency services when they feel unsafe.”
“If you see someone following you, try to go for police assistance or walk to a safe location with people, carrying a flashlight, and using a whistle,” she continued.
Image credits: stock.adobe (not the actual photo)
These include “staying alert and aware of your surroundings, look around, avoid, if you can, isolated and poor-lit areas, maintain a confident posture, always keep your head raised and maintain eye contact (never look down), planning your travel and routes, remain vigilant of your environment, share your location with a friend/family member via phone/ app, have access to call 911 immediately, [and] avoid people walking directly behind you.”
Repeating affirmations to oneself such as “I am safe” and “I will arrive home safely” could help “boost confidence” and “reduce anxiety.”
“Now let’s get a man to do this video,” said one comment on Jessica’s video. “It would be a completely different experience”
