For short term and immediate action, a disaster is a disaster and everyone behaves almost the same, or they should. Evryone tries to bug out or tries to protect themselves and their families as much as they can.

However, once disaster is history and the dust settles and it looks like a loooooong time before it comes back to normal. It is long-term survival. And the question comes to mind. You are a solo surviving man , or a solo surving woman. Is there a difference ?

We know that SHE has to add feminine stuff in her supllies . And also she has to watch for rapists or any man who has been in the wild for too long. But other than that are there anything that should be planned for a woman in survival situation ?

Another question comes to mind in long-term survival situation. Do you think that a single survivng woman who meets a group and finds them to be 'apparently good people'. Should she try to join them ? Is the answer different for this gender or that ( e.g. a female needs to join a group more than a solo male does ) ???

I really dont know the answer. I only have 'feelings' that a male may have the attitude to go it alone, but a woman will more likely be inclined to go 'social'.

What do you think ? What would be differenty in the case of a solo surving woman than a solo survivng man.

Well ... Humans are social animals and social animals tend to congregate in groups to seek "safety in numbers". Of course all situations are different and one has to be careful who he/she associates with, but my gut feeling is that its probably safer in a group.

Survival shouldn't be gender specific. After all where would Lewis and Clark have been if it had not been for a woman? You either are a survivor or not. It depends on the individual and the survival education that person has. I can't speak for all women but I know I can survive long term solo if I need to. I have met several men that I've had serious doubts about. A woman can be just as prepared as a man and should be.

Well I think that other than the gender specific things that you mentioned: "We know that SHE has to add feminine stuff in her supllies . And also she has to watch for rapists" survival issues would be the same.
I agree with Redflare in the theory of safety in numbers up to a point. Choosing who to survive with has to be a serious task and one not taken lightly.

Have you ever read Unintended Consequences?

Personally, I would tend to think that both genders are safer in a group. Specifically for women, it would be very unlikely that you would find a group containing all rapists and no-gooders. If there was one person in the group who tried anything, it's very likely that the rest in the group would intervene and the offender would be cast out.

Sorry , I think I havent made myself clear enough.

Survival depends on intellegence, know-how, training, and a few tools you should be carrying on you . This rule is not gender specific. However, there are differences between genders, and it is part of being prepared to account for those differences and pay some attention to those gender-specific problems. That is what this thread is all about.

We are not here to say that men are smarter than women. Rather we are saying that some factors affect women prepredness in particular and they have to be thought about in advance. For example:

- Everyone - I think - agrees that women in general carry a bit smaller loads than men. That means lesser supplies, and then that minus space reserved for feminine stuff. It can mean lesser food and other essentails. So, what can she do to compnsate that ? Should she add a cache for example ?

- She has to face a few days every month where she needs to pay more attention to hygene so that a few days of discomfort do not turn into real health issues.

- She could be pregnant when SHTF, which means lesser movement ability, lesseer load carrying ability, and facing birth sometime in less-than-ideal circumstances.

These are real issues that should be prepared for.
That is what I meant with this thread. Also, I meant for everyone to think of all other possibilities (in addition to the three above) and what solutions to plan for NOW, before a disaster takes place.

I request the administrator to edit the title and change it to ( Female Survival) . Thanx

Lets say for example that a woman is pregnant . She is trained for survival and has spent times in the hills alone. Many people in meassage boards say that after SHTF they are going to the hills and will not go to government camps/shelters ..etc. So, will a pregnant woman go to the hills for example ? Or will she go to the govenment shelter ?

I think such question has to be thought about now, not when a disaster hits.

Oh, BTW, I have read soemthing interesting a few years back. When Australia was planning to host the Olympics somebody in the media suggested - about 9 or 10 months before the event - that Australians should plan for pregnancies very carefully to avoid a possible childbirth during that messy situation.

That means : Do not 'do it' now. Nine months later you'll be stuck in a car trying to reach a hospital and the roads are jammed because of the Olympics.

I love it !!! Prepredness at its best.
That was very smart IMO.
I wouldnt have thought about it .

There is a big difference between female survival and pregnant female survival. I pregnant female needs a higher calorie intake for one so there si the need for even more food, then the difficulties in mobilty due to the extra weight, balance, etc.
It might not be wise for a pregnant female to head to the hills unless there was awell stocked place there already waiting.

Great book!

Don't mess with a man with a .44 magnum handgun and 20mm rifle. <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />