Fear of Crime in Public Spaces: From the View of Women Living in Cities

This paper relates to “fear of crime” in public open spaces from the point of women living in cities. Fear of crime, in general terms, can be described as a feeling of “fear” and “insecurity” derived from a feeling of a person who senses his/her personal security to be under the threat. This fear of crime is a fact which has a considerable impact of the daily lifes of urban dwellers directly or indirectly by causing urban open spaces such as public parks, squares, plazas, streets not be used; causing routes preferred to travel between working places and dwelling places be changed; and causing roads and streets chosen for commerce be altered. According to the scientific researches, it has been detected that elders and women are more exposed to fear of crime in cities. Consequently, women have to prefer to stay closed and safeguarded places and to avoid urban streets, parks, plazas, public transportation vehicles and areas, especially in the evenings; they feel insecure while walking on the streets and even at their homes; they restrict the right to freedom of movement of their children in the city; and they have to take measures in public open spaces for the reason of this anxiety. This situation restrains the personal involvements of women in public life of the city. Discussing the reasons for fear of crime in public open spaces, in this paper, it is aimed to focus this fact from the point of women. To conclude, it is examined the reasons and degrees of fear of crime; measures taken due to this fact; and handicaps which restrains the personal involvements of women in public life of the city.