Gender differences in a walking environment safety perception: A case study in a small town of Banská Bystrica (Slovakia)

Abstract

BackgroundA safe environment has been widely accepted as one of the most important walkability predictors. However, the relation between perceived safety and walkability has not been well established. AimsThis paper focuses on quantitative aspects of the relation between perceived safety and walkability, as well as examining spatio-temporal patterns of fear-related areas, with a special emphasis on gender differences among adolescents. Data and methodsData regarding walkability perception and safety perception was collected during a mapping exercise in primary and grammar schools in Banská Bystrica city (central Slovakia), with a final sample of 303 adolescents (13–16 years old, 54% girls). In the experiment, pre-prepared reply forms and maps divided into a square fishnet were used. ResultsRegardless of the time of day, girls felt less safe in public spaces than boys did, especially in the city centre. In general, fear-related spaces for boys were more dispersed than for girls, whose perceived risky areas were more compact and spatially concentrated. Girls' perception of walkability was more affected by feeling safe than that of boys, with fewer gender differences at night. ConclusionsBy mitigating and even eliminating threats observed by girls, gender differences in the perception of barriers to walking can be reduced.