Street Design and Women’s Safety Perception

Abstract

Urbanization is a process that creates many opportunities as well as threats. It is a process that will keep on continuing as population rate, migration, economic and social pattern are changing. Along with urbanization, demand for sustainable development and public space is crucial. Streets are important public space in a city. It is a network for many kind of activities. Design of streets affects the way people use it as well as their perception on safety. As a public space, safety is an important factor to consider. A safe public space will create a liveable environment. Feeling safe is important for human being due to the fact the built environment does affect our perception. Gender plays a role in safety perception where women perceive their environment differently. This study focuses on the importance of street as public space in contributing towards safety perception. In order to evaluate the phenomenon, a mixed method approach was adopted. Four streets in the city centre which are important public space with trading activities, connected to educational institution, offices and other economic activities were chosen. 120 questionnaire were distributed and direct observation were conducted in order to evaluate the phenomenon. Findings revealed that physical elements in the street do affect safety perception.

Fostering Perceived Safety in Neighbourhood Parks: Exploring the Influence of Planting Design, Scenic Vistas and Maintenance Factors

“…Previous studies have emphasized the importance of a well-maintained, high-quality environment in influencing positive perceptions of outdoor surroundings. This finding aligns with prior research conducted in Malaysia (Suhaila et al, 2017;Aldrin et al, 2012;Maruthaveeran & Van den Bosh, 2015;Sreetheran & van den Bosch, 2014). However, these studies have primarily focused on the general environmental aspects and have not delved into the specific elements of physical recreation and their associated maintenance cues, which are integral components contributing to the overall quality of a park.…”

“…Consequently, a perceived lack of safety can restrict the use of outdoor spaces (Banchiero et al, 2020;Jenks & Dempsey, 2007;Nam & Dempsey, 2020). Public outdoor spaces must meet three criteriaprotection, comfort, and enjoyment-to ensure their optimal utilization (Suhaila et al, 2017;Soholt, 2004). These criteria contribute significantly to the sense of feeling safe (Suhaila et al, 2017).…”

“…Public outdoor spaces must meet three criteriaprotection, comfort, and enjoyment-to ensure their optimal utilization (Suhaila et al, 2017;Soholt, 2004). These criteria contribute significantly to the sense of feeling safe (Suhaila et al, 2017). Nevertheless, numerous studies have shown that a decrease in perceived safety significantly impacts individuals' ability to derive enjoyment and comfort from their outdoor green spaces.…”