Work

Transit Safety of Women in Rural-Urban Contexts

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: Sexual harassment and other forms of transit crime are everyday occurrences for women and girls around the world. The absence of safety hampers the ability of numerous women to engage freely in school, employment, and public activities without being alert. This research explores women’s safety experiences, particularly focusing on young women in diverse rural and urban environments. We utilized chi-square analysis and regression models to analyze data obtained from a survey distributed to railway passengers in 2022 across neighboring municipalities in southern central Sweden. Findings show that being young makes women more likely to be victimized. Although rural women feel safer than their urban counterparts, they are more often willing to take precautionary measures before taking a trip (e.g., more often traveling with someone in the evening or avoiding certain stations). These findings call for gender-age-sensitive mobility policies, taking into account the intersectionality of transit safety, and reflecting women’s and girls’ safety needs in particular rural contexts.

Source: Feminist Criminology

DOI: 10.1177/15570851241254358

Authors: Vania Ceccato, Catherine Sundling, Gabriel Gliori

Institutions: KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Södertörn University

Language: English

Topic: Sexual Assault and Victimization Studies

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Reduced inequalities, Sustainable cities and communities, Good health and well-being, Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,450