The vast majority of crimes are committed by someone who is known to the
victim, and this person is more likely to be a friend, lover, or relative than a casual acquaintance.
Serial killers make a big splash in the
media because they are so rare, and because they prey on strangers. Women who are murdered are most often killed by their husbands or boyfriends. Women who are sexually assaulted are most commonly assaulted by their lovers.
Children who are sexually abused are most commonly abused by family members, with
sibling incest being most commmon. The location a woman is most likely to be assaulted in is her own home.
The myth of the stranger in dark clothing in the car with tinted windows preying on the unsuspecting is designed to keep women afraid of strangers rather than looking for more immediate dangers.
Please note that I'm not trying to downplay the terrible things that people you don't know can do, and I'm not saying that you shouldn't be careful. I'm saying that the terrible things are more likely to come from someone you know and trust.