Fear culture

I've been wondering what to do about the post that has been circulating warning about women being raped on 28th and E. Burnside. Obviously, I know not all sexual assults get reported so when I did a search through local news websites and portland indymedia, I wasn't too surprised that I didn't find anything. I think its important to help keep each other safe and warn when there are perpertrators about but at the same time, my only hesitation about reposting this is I am confused about where to draw the line between living in fear and maintaining safety. I don't really have an answer to this, but I do know that I don't want us to live in constant fear. Our culture is built on fear, which is a product of domination and separating communities. At the same time, there is the reality that its not always safe for people to walk outside, alone, at night, and this is especially true for female-presenting folks. Since talking about this bulletin that's being reposted, I've heard from several people that they got this same exact bulletin, verbatim, posted on their myspace pages a couple of years ago. So, I don't know what to think. Is this bulletin a hoax or did these incidents really happen? I don't know. My other hesitation about it is that I feel like, in a way, this contributes to the idea that stranger-rape is the only sexual assualt that happens and while, yes, its obviously a crime that takes place, its not as prevalent as sexual assult between known persons (friends, partners, relatives, etc.). I feel like this is something that isn't really talked about enough, especially in the context of queer community. Still, I don't know what to do with this bulletin.
The issue of personal safety is something I've been thinking about lately, especially since a friend was mugged a couple of weeks ago while waiting for the bus on MLK to go to gaycation. Again, I'm left with how do we stay safe, yet not live in constant fear? Living in constant fear is so wearing on the soul and keeps us skeptical of our neighbors. For me, it seems impossible to unify across communities with this skepticism.
I guess one active thing I want to do is make sure my friends and I do what we can to get places safely, so let's start walking each other to the bus stop and waiting together when we can. Let's check in after we leave the bar and make sure everyone got home ok. Let's organize carpools to get our fabulous friends who live in SE to and from our amazing parties in North and NE, and vice versa. I also want to put it out there, that if any of my friends is somewhere (at a bar, party, on the way home from work or school) and feeling unsafe, please call me, regardless of the time of day and I will do what I can to help you get home or even if you just need someone to be on the phone with as you maneuver through the city, call me. For serious. Your safety is more important to me than you worrying about waking me up. Really.
So, if you are reading this before you go out for Halloween tonight, keep it in mind. I'm staying home and will gladly come pick up your drunk ass if you need me to. I might even be willing to drive you through the Taco Bell drive thru.