The reason why I leave shoes that aren’t mine by the front porch

The reaction to news that a man was living in the roof space of a Housing Trust tenant has Chelsey Potter questioning whether women’s concerns are being taken seriously. “We are constantly navigating the tension between trusting our instincts and questioning ourselves.”

Happily, I should add.

Like many women, I’ve cultivated a life that is independent, peaceful and entirely my own. I have a very loveable but very large dog who barks when something is there. I know my neighbours, to a reasonable, normal-person extent. I fastidiously lock my doors.

And, occasionally, I’ll leave shoes by the front porch that aren’t mine.

A very old pair of Birkenstocks, inadvertently left behind by an ex. A pair of men’s shoes.

Most women reading this will know exactly why.

Not because I am necessarily living in fear but because there are a thousand small calculations women make every day that are largely invisible to the men around us.

This week Channel Seven broke the story of an Adelaide woman who discovered a man allegedly living in her roof cavity. On investigation, it’s reported that bedding was found, along with food, crockery and drug paraphernalia.

The details of the story are extraordinary enough.

An older woman living alone in public housing reportedly raised concerns over a period of time, sensing something wasn’t right in her home. She noticed changes in her cat’s behaviour, roof noises that went beyond a potential possum intrusion, moved items around her home and the occasional toilet seat being left up, along with fresh........

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