Iv had real frank conversations with my brother's and boyfriend about this. Boyfriend is very fit and could look quite imposing so has always been conscious of this. He always crosses the road away from a lone female. Always hangs back and tries not to scare them.
After what happened to poor Sarah, i remember being round my mother in laws house woth my husband and brother (in context we are all were late 20s then) and i mentioned how she did everything right as a female walking alone in dark.
They both looked puzzled and said theres a right way of walking!?! So explained how a females mind works when facing the situation of dealing with day to day stuff.
The way our mind works with sussing out dangers before we start anything. Like for example my husband makes fun of me driving to the local co-op instead of walking the 5 minutes and i said its because the path to it isnt along a road and even though we are jot in a unsafe area, i didnt feel safe walking through side roads.
That if i saw a man on the road walking towards me, ill cross over. Same with if i saw someone pull up in a car, ill cross. With taxis, i would het them to drop me off at a house 3 doors up. When i enter my house in the dark, i close all blinds and curtains first before turning lights on so if i was followed they cant see in/know thisnis my house.
I drive with my car doors locked, used to carry a small can of deep heat spray on me ( trick my dad taught me, spray onto attacker and if caught carrying say you suffer with leg tightness)
If you have to walk at night. Dont be distracted on phone, no headphones. Stick fo lit paths and main roads, avoid shortcuts. Keep hands on keys with a key inbetween fingers to use as protection.
When i said all of that, their faces dropped and hit home how scary it is for women in this world. I told them to respect women by crossing the path instead. If you see a woman being pestered, step in and make out you know each other by starting a convo (like oh hiya how you been, hows your dad) to help scare of the other person and ask if they are ok. Dont ever let a female friend/colleague/girlfriend or her friends be in a situation of being on their own.