Ashley James has revealed a concerning incident that took place this morning, as she feared sexual assault while simply trying to take her daughter to nursery. The 39-year-old broadcaster and activist shared the experience on Instagram, describing how she took a shortcut and became wary of a man who appeared to be waiting to see her route.
Incident on the way to nursery
James explained that the man seemed high and was hovering in front of her, making her feel he was waiting to see if she would turn down a particular path. She also noted that he had earlier cat-called a woman walking her dog, providing context for her concern.
“Just taking a shortcut to get to Ada's nursery, and this is one of the things that I think men just don't have to think about. There was a guy who seemed quite high, but he was like hovering in front of me, so it felt like he was waiting to see if I was going to turn down this way,” she said.
Safety checks and internalised misogyny
James recounted waiting a few minutes to decide if it was safe to proceed, highlighting the constant safety assessments women face. She expressed frustration that at nearly 40, she still had to consider such risks, attributing her surprise to internalised misogyny and ageism.
“It's so mad that we're made to feel like this is a youth problem, but it only would impact young girls. I never thought at 40, probably because of my own misogyny and ageism, that I thought anyone past 30 was like past it,” she said.
Call for men to understand
James hoped her message would help men grasp the level of anxiety women live with, stating, “I really want men to understand the level of fight or flight that we have to live with, even if it's not all men, like it's so many men, like I just want the freedom to walk the quickest way to nursery on a hot day.” She also revealed that two sexual assaults have occurred on that pathway since she moved to the area.
James, who describes herself as a 'Voice For Women', released a book titled Bimbo earlier this year, which became a Sunday Times bestseller. She has two children, Alfie, 5, and Ada, 3, with partner Tom Andrews, whom she has chosen not to marry, a decision she has publicly defended.
