Why shouldn’t Eurydice Dixon have been walking home alone?

Eurydice Dixon was a talented young comedian. Picture: Supplied.

What was Eurydice Dixon doing when she was killed in Melbourne earlier this week?

She was walking. Advancing on foot. Getting herself from one place to another — from an all-night supermarket, back to her comfortable old share house — with an energy bar in her pocket, and a blue flower in her hair.

And she was murdered.

We don’t yet know by whom, and justice will have to run its course, but some of the commentary … well, it leaves a bit to be desired.

The Age yesterday ran a breaking news brief on Twitter that said: “Police are urging people to take responsibility for their safety when walking alone in Carlton North after a woman was found dead there overnight.”

Not: “Police are appalled by an apparently random act of violence that has left a young woman dead.”

Not: “Police have vowed to bring the full force of the law into play following the senseless death of an innocent young Melburnian.”

They went for the victim, instead.

Keep yourself safe.

Flowers are left for Eurydice Dixon. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Yes, I know what they were trying to say, but there is a fine line between urging people, and in particular, women, to take caution when out in the world — don’t cross the road without looking both ways, for example — and discouraging women from being out in the first place.

This tweet, and some other commentary, particularly on talkback radio, comes too close to blaming Eurydice for being out in the world, like any other human being with rights and agency.

Why was she out so late?

Why was she walking in the dark, alone?

Why didn’t she ask a man to accompany her?

Because she shouldn’t have to.

Because she’s entitled to be out and about and free.

This world — our community, the beautiful city of Melbourne, Australia — belongs to all of us. Men and women alike should be encouraged to partake of its pleasures, including leisurely strolling through the night, savouring the experience of being up on stage, dazzling the audience with your verve and your wit, as Eurydice had been doing in the weeks before she died.

I’m not sure police — or perhaps The Age, since it’s their Tweet — would have said what they said had the victim in this case been a man.

I’m not sure people would be asking: why he was walking home alone?

It would be taken as a given that he was the victim, and that the blame belonged with the killer.

Because what exactly was she doing wrong? Nothing. Just walking home.

Saying “take responsibility for your safety” is not very different from saying: it’s how you dress, it’s what you say, it’s where you go, and how late you’re out, that makes you vulnerable.

It isn’t at all.

Some people have said: well, they just meant, take care, and make sure you’ve got a phone, for example.

It seems that Eurydice did have a phone, and she did send a Facebook message to a friend, saying: “Almost home safe.”

Almost.

She didn’t get there. That is not her fault.