The Unfinished Urban Democracy? The Social Costs and Democratic Consequences of Women's Insecurity in the Urban Environment

Women's insecurity in public places carries not only a personal cost to the women themselves but also social and economic costs to the larger community and society. Crime and the fear of crime have the effect of limiting where women live and when and where they work as well as hindering them from fully participating in the life of the city. All too often researchers and policy-makers seeking to address issues related to womens security have focused on promoting changes to the urban physical environment while ignoring the underlying cause of womens insecurity i.e., unequal gender power relations in society. A survey is proposed to question women concerning their defensive behavior and level of fear. A separate questionnaire aimed at municipal officers would gather data on types of policies being developed and implemented to further gender equality, with a particular emphasis on addressing womens bodily vulnerability. The authors propose the adoption of programs aimed at promoting gender equality and working to change public attitudes such that violence against women becomes unacceptable. Adapted from the source document.