They're our cities too
The connection between street crimes against women and the urban environment was examined by the Women and (Town) Planning Conference in Melbourne on July 9. A fear of crime often made women feel trapped and disadvantaged by their physical surroundings explained Wendy Bell, architect and town planner.
From an early age girls are brought up to fear walking down the streets, playing in the park or walking to the shops with a friend. Most primary school girls can tell about the threat of "Stranger Danger". It is one of the few fears that you don't ever "grow out of"; for many it only deepens with age.
Bell's studies reveal women have "staggeringly" higher levels of fear than men even though, statistically, women are less likely to be victims of crime against the person. This, she claimed, was due to women's vulnerability to sexual assault. Such fear often mean women become imprisoned in their own homes, especially as community facilities are often not available locally.
Women are more likely in the urban environment to be discriminated against on public housing estates, on pathways, in outlying suburbs, on public transport, at public transport stops and interchanges, said Bell. This makes women more vulnerable to violent crime at these locations. In general, Bell stated, shopping centres, parks, car parks, public toilets and school yards are unsafe for women.
The key principles for a safer environment for women, Bell outlined as clear layouts such as grid systems; clear use of space; good lighting; safe routes and journeys; good signing; natural surveillance; and landscaping.
Today there is more community awareness of the violence against women. Activists have long campaigned around the question of women's right to feel and be safe on the streets by night or day. Annually around Australia, Reclaim the Night marches
are organised on October 30 to highlight this basic right.
Women's groups also have organised to ensure a safe environment on campus for women. Better lighting and frequent public transport are some of the demands raised.
Brian Howe, the deputy prime minister, in addressing the conference stated that current city planning limited women's full participation in society. What Howe didn't say was that the Keating government's spending cutbacks on women's health and welfare services, child-care, rape crisis centres and refuges have restricted the free movement of women and their participation in society.
"Link-up: A Sydney Public Transport "in Sydney on August 21 and 22 is drawing up an overall plan for public transport. It will look specifically at women and safety. The extensive cutbacks leading to reduced services, unstaffed and even closed railway stations have heightened the danger for women using public transport at night.
By Catherine Brown