After a party, Ms Murphy's friend, Year 12 student Harvey Hayes, also turns her mind to safety. "How are we going to make sure we all get home safe? Who’s sleeping where? Are you alright to be with those people alone?" the Erskineville resident said were common questions asked. Harvey Hayes and Roisin Young Murphy agree that many young women do not feel walking home at night. According to the results of Mission Australia's Youth Survey 2018, nearly half of young women do not feel safe in their local community after dark, harbouring much more worry in their daily lives than their male counterparts. The survey, which involved over 28,000 young people aged between 15 and 19, found over 46 per cent of young women felt "unsafe" or "very unsafe" when walking home at night, compared to just 18 per cent of young men.

Women in their late teens were roughly twice as likely to say personal safety and security would potentially deter them from moving out of their family home in the future than men of the same age, with over 28 per cent citing this as a concern. Roisin and her friends text each other to say they have made it home safely and, sometimes, she calls a friend as she walks. The figures follow the release of results of a survey commissioned by Plan International Australia last week, which found only 28 per cent of 17-year-olds would describe themselves as "brave", down from half of girls aged 10-12. Mission Australia CEO James Toomey said teenage girls' concerns about their safety had a "major impact" on their ability to engage in public life. "It’s very concerning that young females feel unsafe in public places in Australia, both during the day and after dark, and consequently feel less connected to their communities than their male peers,” he said.

A 2016 survey conducted by Plan International Australia and Our Watch revealed 30 per cent of young women aged 15-19 avoid public places after dark, while 23 per cent believed it is not safe to travel alone on public transport. Loading Ms Hayes, 17, said, although she did not want to diminish the threats that can present themselves to young men in public, she believed the issue ultimately affected her differently. "A sense of being unsafe both on our own part and on our parents’ hinders our ability to make independent or spontaneous decisions, affects where and when we can socialise, and generally lessens our freedom in comparison to boys our age." Ruby Leonard, co-convenor of Sydney's 2018 Reclaim the Night rally, said, based on her dealings with young women concerned about public safety, she was surprised the figures were not higher. The survey was undertaken midway through last year, when news of Eurydice Dixon's murder while walking home from a comedy gig in Melbourne made headlines.

"When a young woman is murdered we automatically consider all the factors that could contribute to that being us. If you walked home the night before, you’ll go through the route and identify all the unsafe areas." A sense of being unsafe ... affects where and when we can socialise, and generally lessens our freedom in comparison to boys our age. A spokesperson for Mission Australia said some teenagers taking part in the survey mentioned Dixon in their responses. Ms Leonard, 20, said she personally understood why teenage girls might be expressing apprehension about moving out of home. "I have lived in my house my whole life: I know the best lit streets, I know the regular people on my bus and the new faces that scare me," she said, noting the walking distance between a house and public transport was something she thought most young women would make themselves aware of.