Thats absolutely horrifying... im so glad you're safe after that!! walking at night has such a calming effect though, i had to leave the house the other night because i was upset so i went on a walk. its scary as hell though and ill admit im afraid of the dark cause we live in a rural place lol... i took my dog with me and it made me feel better

honestly i think the mask idea is great, if someone ever bothers you about it pepper spray could be something you start to carry with you instead?

I am so sorry to hear about your experiences, that is genuinely chilling… Do you think that there could be a safer place to be taking your walks?
Not that femme people will ever be entirely safe at night, but if your area is at all sketchy or remote, it might be worth the time to drive/get a ride to somewhere like a nicer, well lit and surveyed neighborhood where creeps would feel less comfortable harassing you, and civilization would be close by if you needed to ask for help.

If I were in your position, I would also want to set up an expectation with a loved one on where I would be, and when I would be back/need picked up specifically, so that a trusted individual could be in the area that I am walking with very little additional time taken on my part.
Apps like Life 360 would also allow a loved one to keep track of where my phone is, and to notice if I were to start moving in a strange or worrying manner.

I’m so sorry you’ve been harassed by these people! The experience you described with the man who chased you into the woods sounds like something straight out of a horror movie! Definitely be really careful if you’re gonna continue walking at night. As someone else suggested, always carry a self-defense weapon, pepper spray, anything that you can use to protect yourself in case you ever get in a situation where you’ll need them (which hopefully won’t happen but you never know). And make sure you always have your phone on you too in case you need to call for help. And yeah, it could help to dress differently when you go on night walks if you believe the reason these people preyed on you was because your clothes made you look younger than you really were. Sadly a lot of creeps out there target younger people. If changing your dress style doesn’t work, I’d suggest switching to night driving instead.

I’ve taken my dog outside in the yard at night before, and it’s nice to be out at night when it’s warm. My neighborhood seems pretty safe, but even so, I personally wouldn’t risk walking it at night, especially since it would worry my grandma. I also don’t have access to weapons I can carry in my pocket or pepper spray, and my combat skills are garbage. My dog is pretty small (she’s a chiweenie), so I’m not sure if she’d be much help either in the case I ever encountered a kidnapper or assaulter in general. Night walking would be a lot more appealing if there weren’t creeps ruining the fun. :(

That's terrifying. I'm so sorry you have to deal with all that. There's a lot of absolutely horrible people on this planet. 

I'd say if you're going out at night then take things to defend yourself. Pepper spray, possibly a weapon (If its legal for you to do so in your state). The clown mask is a good idea, or any clothing that would make you seem like less of a target. But beware of attracting negative attention doing that ^^;  Going with a group of friends is also another way to help keep yourself safe. 

I go walking all the time during the day. Its way safer, though you still encounter nasties. I had one lady try and get me into her car with the excuse of " I just want to give you a lift to the dog park 😇"  .... 😨 Though just walking towards someone's house makes them drive away very fast. 

Stay safe! ♡

 it is nice to go on walks at night, but just be careful. I know a good alternative for me is sitting in my room drawing or driving while listening to some of my favorite songs. Yeah still continue the walks just be extra careful :)

HM. This is a really tough situation and scary tbh. I totally understand taking night walks though, I used to all the time when I would visit my dad since he lived on a mile long dirt road, it was so refreshing esp at night

I think the main problem is those nasty people out there seem to focus on anyone presenting as a girl. Young or not really, although if you dress or look younger they're more likely to think you're an easier target.
The clown mask is a good idea, but at the same time there could be someone who starts getting suspicious of you in that and it could also get dangerous in a completely different manner ;;

Maybe it could've had them thinking you were a boy with the mask? Perhaps could try 'dressing like a boy'. If you have long hair maybe hide it in a hat or hoodie. There's still chance they go after boys as well. So it's tough to tell if the clown mask is helping keep them away or if they just percieve you as a boy with it 😭

Stay safe if you continue taking night walks!!