Women's Travel Research Articles

The Experience of Women Receiving Mastectomy Care in an Acute Surgical Ward: A Qualitative Study.

The research aim was to understand the inpatient experience of women who received postoperative care for mastectomy surgery in an acute surgical ward. A Qualitative Descriptive Research design was used. The lead researcher conducted individual semi-structured interviews with 10 women who received postoperative care following mastectomy surgery in an acute hospital surgical ward. The transcribed interview data was analysed using a thematic analysis. A mastectomy is a momentous event in any woman's life. In the initial post-operative phase, the physical intrusion of surgery, aesthetics of the ward, and mixed-gender rooms were all found to influence the women's journey towards holistic recovery. Therapeutic care from all in the healthcare team and a ward setting conducive to recovery were identified as favourable influences towards physical and emotional healing. Recognising that a mastectomy 'is not just physical' may help the breast care team optimise the first 24 h of postoperative care in preparation for the challenges the women may face on discharge. In an acute inpatient setting, a women's physical needs may be prioritised over the psychological and emotional ramifications of a mastectomy. Post-operative inpatient care for breast cancer surgery requires not only professional competency with clinical and technical tasks, but therapeutic nursing and communication skills to support women's psychological needs. The findings were drawn from 10 women, narrating their inpatient experience for breast cancer surgery. All women had undergone a unilateral or bilateral mastectomy following breast cancer.

From Potential to Action: Strategies for Supporting Female Founders in the Pre-Start-Up Phase

In today’s global economy, the role of start-ups is recognized as crucial for a country's competitiveness. Creating a supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem is therefore essential to enable founders to realize their potential optimally. Notably, there is a significant gender disparity in start-ups, suggesting a vast untapped entrepreneurial potential among women. This research aims to enhance the utilization of female start-up potential by providing actionable recommendations, based on an empirical analysis of the pre-start-up process of (potential) female founders. Through a qualitative research methodology, this study investigates the factors influencing women's journey towards entrepreneurship, considering diverse biographies and life situations. Interviews with ten women showed the complexity of the pre-start-up phase and the necessity for a broad support system. The study identifies several key areas for action to foster female entrepreneurship. Firstly, increasing awareness and visibility of self-employment as a viable career path for women is crucial, requiring more female role models and media representation to challenge traditional gender roles and stereotypes. This could cultivate a natural inclination towards entrepreneurship and sectors with high start-up activity. Moreover, lessening the disproportionate burden of family responsibilities on women is essential, suggesting enhancements in childcare facilities and encouraging shared domestic duties. The research further suggests the implementation of support programs to reduce barriers and provide a realistic view of entrepreneurship, alongside the potential benefits of mentorship in both pre- and post-start-up phases. Women's risk-averse, cautious approach in the pre-start-up process often leads to hesitance in developing innovative projects. Encouraging a focus on market needs and early engagement with potential customers, alongside proactive network building, seeking co-founders, or outsourcing, can address knowledge gaps and reduce uncertainties, making self-employment a more attractive option. This study emphasizes the importance of a collaborative effort among various stakeholders in the entrepreneurial ecosystem to unlock the entrepreneurial potential among women.

A PEEP INTO THE FUTURE THROUGH THE PAST: A BIBLIOMETRIC ANALYSIS ON WOMEN TRAVELERS

The research explores the progress of studies on women travelers, examining publication trends, top contributors, collaborations, and thematic areas, while also exploring ways to make travel more convenient. For the achievement of these research questions, a bibliometric analysis has been conducted using data from the articles published in 41 journals dating from 1982 to 2023. For bibliometric analysis, collected data was analyzed with descriptive analysis, science mapping as bibliographic coupling, citation metrics, prestige analysis, keyword co-occurrence metrics; and network analysis as co-author analysis and co-citation analysis. The study reveals the top ten authors, organizations, and countries in women traveler-related literature, but a low total publication count suggests the need for comprehensive research. Five major themes that emerged were Women Travelers and Solo Travel, Women Travelers and Travel Motivation, Women Travelers and Purchase Intention, Women Travelers and Girlfriend Getaways, and Women Travelers, and Sexual Behaviour. The study identifies research gaps for future studies and suggests managerial actions to make women's travel more convenient. The study's values lie in enhancing the understanding of women traveler research, raising awareness of research frontiers, and guiding future directions in business travel niche market segments.

Academic accountability to local communities and society through Programme Science: a case study from the HPV self-sampling programme HOPE in Peru.

Health challenges in the 21st century underscore the need for adaptable and innovative approaches in public health. Academic institutions can and should contribute much more effectively to generate and translate scientific knowledge that will result in better programmes to improve societal health. Academic accountability to local communities and society requires universities to actively engage with local communities, understanding the context, their needs, and leveraging their knowledge and local experience. The Programme Science initiative provides a framework to optimize the scale, quality and impact of public health programmes, by integrating diverse approaches during the iterative cycle of research and practice within the strategic planning, programme implementation and programme management and evaluation. We illustrate how the Programme Science framework could be a useful tool for academic institutions to accomplish accountability to local communities and society through the experience of Project HOPE in Peru. Project HOPE applied the Programme Science framework to introduce HPV self-sampling into a women's health programme in Peru. Collaboration with local authorities and community members was pivotal in all phases of the project, ensuring interventions aligned with community needs and addressing social determinants of health. The HOPE Ladies-community women trained and empowered to promote and provide the HPV kits-crafted the messages used through the study and developed strategies to reach individuals and provided support to women's journey through health centres. By engaging communities in co-creating knowledge and addressing health inequities, academic institutions can generate contextually relevant and socially just scientific knowledge. The active participation of community women in Project HOPE was instrumental in improving service utilization and addressing barriers to self-sampling. The Programme Science approach offers a pathway for academic institutions to enhance their accountability to communities and society at large. By embedding researchers within public health programmes and prioritizing community engagement, academic institutions can ensure that research findings directly inform policy improvements and programmatic decisions. However, achieving this requires a realignment of research agendas and recognition of the value of community engagement. Establishing Programme Science networks involving academia, government and funding entities can further reinforce academic accountability and enhance the impact of public health programmes.

Silappatikaram: Empowering Women's Journey from Neglect to Assurance

Silappatikaram: Empowering Women's Journey from Neglect to Assurance

Travel for women rights: social movements and the construction of travel as activism in social media

ABSTRACT Globalized social movements often require travel, but travel as a symbolic form of transnational activism has only been examined in certain instances. This paper employs the notion of political travel and, through a qualitative content analysis of social media posts during the 2018 pro-choice Irish referendum campaign, it shows how travel can be approached as a form of activism and resistance from a critical feminist angle in the context of a global campaign mediated by social media. Inspired by assemblage theory [De Landa, M. (2016). Assemblage theory. Edinburgh University Press.], our findings show how different elements; people, spaces, objects are assembled to construct the framing and narrative of a social movement that fights for women rights. The individual accounts of travel experiences in social media contributed to the overall ‘aestheticization’ of the social movement. Also, the study offered insights into the meanings that, predominantly female, travellers, assign to their political travel, which are in turn shaped by personal and historical concerns.

The Requirement of a Mahram for a Woman's Travel under the Contemporary Developments and Fatwas

This study addresses an important issue that has occupied the minds of Muslim men and women, both in the past and present, namely the question of requiring a mahram for a woman's travel. The current study deals with this issue through an examination of the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad—peace be upon him—and the statements of ancient scholars, as well as the opinions of contemporary scholars, in a detailed and analytical jurisprudential study. The study aimed to delve into and scrutinize the prophetic hadiths and the statements of scholars, reverting to their texts to understand the rationale behind the ruling, to arrive at a Sharia ruling that aligns with the prophetic hadiths, the rationale, and the benefit upon which the ruling is based, and to connect it with the contemporary context. The study concluded that scholars have differed on this issue both in ancient and modern times. Some adhered strictly to the apparent meanings of the mentioned hadiths, thereby prohibiting women's travel without a mahram, without any exceptions. Others have made exceptions for certain cases, such as an elderly woman who is not desired and a woman travelling with a group of trustworthy women, as well as the safety of the journey, and that this applies to every person travelling with the intention of obeying Allah, whether obligatory or non-obligatory, such as visiting and trading.

Digital Pathways to Empowerment: Unraveling Women's Journeys in Atmanirbhar Bharat through ICT - A Qualitative Exploration

This qualitative research aims to explore the lived experiences, perceptions, and challenges faced by women in leveraging Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for empowerment within the framework of Atmanirbhar Bharat. Through in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, the study seeks to understand how ICT tools and platforms contribute to women's socio-economic empowerment, including their participation in education, entrepreneurship, governance, and employment. By examining individual narratives and community perspectives, the research aims to uncover the nuances of women's engagement with ICT, as well as the barriers they encounter in accessing and utilizing digital resources. The findings of this study are expected to provide valuable insights into the intersection of gender, technology, and development, informing policy and practice for promoting women's empowerment and self-reliance in India. In the framework of Atmanirbhar Bharat, we want to investigate the relationship between ICT and women's empowerment in this qualitative study. By studying women's experiences, obstacles, and opportunities when using ICT resources, we hope to add to the body of knowledge needed to create policies and programs that support gender-inclusive development and enable women to take an active role in empowering themselves and their communities as they work towards prosperity and self-reliance in India.

Women’s Mobility and Activity Trends in Urban Areas of Ogun State, Nigeria

In the dynamic landscape of modern life, the movement of people and goods fuels economic progress. However, transportation disparities between genders persist globally. Recognizing distinct mobility needs and behaviours between women and men is crucial. This study delves into the travel and activity patterns specifically among women in urban centers of Ogun State, Nigeria. Employing a cross-sectional community survey design, the study sampled women from four cities in Ogun State. A total of 1,597 respondents participated, with analysis focusing on descriptive statistics. Patterns in women's travel, including trip duration, distance, purpose, and mode of transportation, were examined. Results highlighted purpose-driven travel, predominantly for work, household tasks, and religious engagements within town. Motorcycles, tricycles, and walking were common modes of transportation, influenced by factors like trip speed and purpose. Additionally, leisure and visiting friends and relatives constituted frequent out-of-town travel motives. Three distinct daily activity patterns emerged. Addressing challenges like limited access to private vehicles, inadequate infrastructure, and security concerns is vital to enhancing women's travel experiences in the region. Keywords: Women’s mobility, Activity patterns, Urban centres, Ogun State.

Ghanaian women’s experiences of unsuccessful in-vitro fertilisation treatment, unravelling their meanings: a Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenological study

BackgroundWomen having experienced infertility over a period usually decide on an option for an invitro fertilisation treatment (IVF). However, in the quest to seek help and to be part of motherhood, they sometimes become unsuccessful in their fertility journey. The researchers aimed to explore the meanings and emotions attached to infertility and unsuccessful invitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment among Ghanaian women, as this area of inquiry is less explored in Africa and specifically in the Ghanaian context.MethodsThe study followed a qualitative approach and drew inspiration from the Heideggerian phenomenological philosophy and design. Six (6) women, aged between 29 and 40 years, who had experienced at least one unsuccessful IVF cycle, were purposefully selected from a private specialist fertility hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. One-on-one interviews were conducted with the participants, and the interviews were transcribed verbatim. The collected data was analyzed using Van Manen six-step framework, which helped to uncover the existential meanings and interpretations these women ascribed to their experiences.ResultsThe results of the study revealed four main themes that were deemed essential aspects of meaning for the participants. These themes were: (1) Experiencing an Existential Faith and Hope. The participants described their journey through infertility and invitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment as a profound test of their existential faith and hope finding strength in maintaining a positive outlook despite the challenges and setbacks they faced., (2) Facing up to the Angst: This theme highlights the participants' courage in confronting the emotional dimensions of their struggles. The women acknowledged and confronted their anxieties, fears, and emotional distress associated with their infertility and unsuccessful IVF treatment., (3). Non-disclosedness: This theme refers to the participants' experiences of keeping their struggles with IVF treatment private, often due to societal and cultural factors. (4). Endured feelings of inadequacy of being-in-the-world-of-motherless: Participants expressed feelings of inadequacy, self-doubt, and a sense of being incomplete due to their inability to conceive and fulfill the societal role of motherhood. Their narratives revealed the profound impact of societal expectations on their self-perception and identity.ConclusionThe study's findings reveal insights into the experiences and interpretations of infertility and unsuccessful IVF treatment among Ghanaian women. Employing Heideggerian hermeneutics, the research elucidates the diverse existential, emotional, and societal aspects inherent in the struggles of infertility. The multifaceted nature of these women's journeys underscores the significance of a comprehensive approach to infertility care that recognizes the cultural, social, emotional, and existential dimensions of the IVF process. Additionally, the study emphasizes the necessity for culturally sensitive support systems and interventions to address the unique challenges faced by this population.

Listen, talk, repeat: women's journey through architecture and environmental consciousness

Listen, talk, repeat: women's journey through architecture and environmental consciousness

Women's journey in science: overcoming stereotypes

A lo largo de la historia, las mujeres han padecido de los sesgos ocasionados por estereotipos muy arraigados que no permiten ver el valor real de una científica. Ideas como “el cerebro de las mujeres no es apto para entender lo abstracto”, o “las mujeres son de inferioridad natural” rondan aun en nuestros días; por ejemplo, Lawrence Summers, Presidente de Harvard en 2005 comentó que la subrepresentación de mujeres en carreras STEM es debido a diferencias cognitivas innatas entre hombres y mujeres [Jacquemond 2020].

Empowering Safety-Conscious Women Travelers: Examining the Benefits of Electronic Word of Mouth and Mobile Travel Assistant

Male solo travelers tend to be more frequent and mobile compared to female solo travelers. This difference can be attributed to travel constraints and safety issues. Social media connects like-minded people and serves as an inspirational resource for deciding where to go and what to do. Numerous netizen travelers are actively sharing their journeys and experiences on their social media profiles. Exciting dining options, diverse locations, recommendations for restaurants, accommodations, and personal experiences are all shared on social media platforms. Millennials rely on electronic word of mouth (e-WOM) to form perceptions about a destination. Thus, the study aims to gain insights into the experiences of solo female travelers who are active on social media platforms. Sentiment analysis is performed on Twitter data by analyzing the latest and trending tweets, which helps in gaining valuable insights regarding the safety of women travelers. Furthermore, research is being conducted to analyze the positive aspects of the travel experience using the Experience Economy model, which provides opportunities for self-discovery and personal growth.

#Resilience is not enough for Black women in STEM: Counterstories of two young Black women becoming a STEM person

AbstractBoth K‐12 schools and STEM disciplines are embedded in White supremacy and exclusion, making it that much harder for Black women to maintain an interest and sense of belonging in STEM. Through a Critical Race Feminism methodology, we tell the counterstories of our two co‐authors, two Black women, over the course of their lives. Through these counterstories (stories that run counter to normative stories of STEM as male and White), Kelli and Samantha show us how they negotiated and maintained a sense of belonging in STEM even through moments of self‐doubt in their STEM trajectory. These negotiations allowed them to carve a space for themselves within STEM. A key finding from these counterstories was the resilience both women developed through their participation in counterspaces and support from family and teachers that helped them develop pride in their STEM identity trajectories. Our study adds to the research on Black women's journeys in STEM by describing resilience strategies that our authors were forced to develop in response to White supremacy and how they were able to maintain their STEM identity by creating a counterstory that allowed them to maintain their sense of belonging within STEM. And yet, we conclude by asking if resilience is enough since both women questioned their authentic and valued place in their respective STEM disciplines because of the dominant storyline of STEM as White and male. Their stories reveal the deeper truth that change is needed in STEM to empower students of color to see themselves as not just tolerated but valued members of the discipline.

Inferring mobility of care travel behavior from transit smart fare card data

Existing research underscores substantial gender-based variations in travel behavior on public transit. Studies have concluded that these differences are largely attributable to household responsibilities typically falling disproportionately on women, leading to women being more likely to utilize transit for purposes referred to by the umbrella concept of “Mobility of Care”. In contrast to past studies that have quantified the impact of gender using survey and qualitative data, we examine a novel data-driven workflow utilizing a combination of previously developed origin, destination, and transfer inference (ODX) based on individual transit fare card transactions, name-based gender inference, and geospatial analysis as a framework to identify mobility of care trip making. We apply this framework to data from the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Analyzing data from millions of journeys conducted in the first quarter of 2019, the results of this study show that our proposed workflow can identify mobility of care travel behavior, both in terms of (1) detecting times and places of interest where the share of women travelers in an equally-sampled subset (on basis of inferred gender) of transit users is 10 %–15 % higher than that of men, and (2) finding women significantly more likely to exhibit a consistent accompaniment patterns with riders who are children, elderly, or people with disabilities. The workflow presented in this study provides a blueprint for combining transit origin-destination data, inferred customer demographics, and geospatial analyses enabling public transit agencies to assess, at the fare card level, the gendered impacts of different policy and operational decisions.

The Influence of Perceived Risk and Travel Constraints to Travel Intention of Women Traveler in Bandung City

This study aims to investigate the influence of perceived risk and travel constraints to travel intention of women travelers in Bandung city. A quantitative study was conducted in this research and data were collected from 350 women travelers in Bandung City using purpose sampling. The theories used in this research about perceived risk, theories about travel constraints, and theories about travel intentions. The results of this study revealed that the perceived risk and travel constraints significantly affected the travel intention of women travelers in Bandung by 81.5% while the remaining 18.5% was influenced by other variables not observed in this study. In this case, special attention is needed related to the existing security conditions in the city of Bandung relating to criminal acts that occur. In addition, optimizing women travelers as one of the largest segmentation in the tourism industry, in this case tourism service businesses, especially travel agents can take advantages of this momentum by creating and providing a special tour package for women travelers.

Uncovering gender-based violence and harassment in public transport: Lessons for spatial and transport justice

When suitably organized, public transport plays an important role in social inclusion and equity by providing crucial access to social, political, and economic opportunities. Notwithstanding, a growing body of evidence points to gender-based harassment and violence associated with public transport journeys as significant barriers to women's travel. This raises important issues regarding spatial and transport justice.Using a survey in Santiago, Chile, this study explores gender-based violence and harassment experienced while accessing, egressing, and using public transport. We use zero-inflated and logistic regression models to explore individual, behavioral and spatial factors associated with gender violence, particularly sexual harassment, defined as unwanted touching, filming or photography, stalking or masturbation, and rape. We examine these factors differentiating by trip segment (access to and egress from the system versus in-vehicle experience) and public transport mode (bus and Metro).Our results show that 17.5% experienced four or more harassment situations. Public masturbation or rape primarily occurred on the journey to and from public transport (8.6%) and on board a bus (7.4%). Our models indicate a spatial component of harassment which intersects with behavioral and individual factors as trip frequency, trip purpose, gender, age, and income, reducing public transit's ability to serve women, particularly those in low-income living in more peripheral areas. This article contributes to knowledge regarding how these factors interact in a major city in the Global South, which has been under-explored to date. Our findings join other studies challenging theories of spatial and transport justice, which to date pay little attention to violence in general and gender-based violence in particular. We make suggestions for reinforcing theory in order to develop stronger solutions to ensure transport systems improve equity rather than locking in current discrimination and exclusions.

Socioeconomic Implication of Religious Tourism: A Women’s Prospective

Religious tourism in India has witnessed significant growth over the years, with an increasing number of women participating in such travel experiences. Despite the patriarchal and male-dominated orientation of Indian society, women have been actively engaging in religious tours, both as part of group travel and independently. In the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a noticeable rise in women travelling in small groups or embarking on solo religious journeys.
 This study aims to explore the socioeconomic implications of religious tourism from the perspective of Indian women. By analysing personal experiences, beliefs, encountered challenges, and proposed solutions, the research sheds light on the economic and social aspects of women's religious tourism in the Indian context. Data was collected through a structured questionnaire administered to female tourists who have independently undertaken religious tours. The study employs an empirical approach to provide insights into the changing dynamics of female participation in religious tourism and offers valuable perspectives for policymakers.
 The findings reveal significant structural changes taking place in India, particularly concerning the increased participation of women in religious tourism. The study uncovers key insights into the economic and social implications of religious tourism for women, highlighting the challenges they face and their expectations from policymakers. By addressing the previously neglected issues specific to women travellers in previous research, this study contributes to a more comprehensive understanding of the motivations and experiences of female tourists.

Tourism and Gender: Safety for Women Travelers, Enhancing Gender Equality and Combating Violence Against Women

The purpose of this article is to analyze the safety of women tourists, which includes strategies for promoting gender equality and combating violence against women in the tourism industry with specific reference to the context of Kazakhstan. The article outlines the essential strategies for breaking barriers and fostering a gender-equal environment in the tourism industry. It stresses the importance of comprehensive training programs, supportive work environments, policies and programs that support women's leadership and representation in decision-making processes in tourism, addressing the wage gap, creating a safe environment, establishing policies and procedures for handling complaints and offering assistance to victims. Documentary analysis methodology involved the systematic examination and interpretation of relevant documents, reports, publications, international conventions, and declarations related to gender equality and violence against women in the tourism sector. The findings of this study underline the significance of collaboration with various stakeholders including governments, tourism organizations, businesses, and civil society, and advocacy for legal reforms in creating systemic change. The documentary analysis revealed key strategies for ensuring the safety of women travelers. This includes implementing technological and security innovations, such as mobile applications for security and video monitoring. Additionally, it is crucial to offer women-only transportation and accommodation options. Gender-sensitive training was also identified as an essential component for tourism professionals.

Empowering Silent Voices: Women's Journey towards Happiness

Gender roles and their stereotyped behaviour is influenced by various factors, both external and internal, during the course of an individual’s life. But, the identity of being an ideal woman is allegedly triggered by media and marketing. It seems to create an identity benchmark in the society and a pressure in women to comply with these identity standards. Indian concept of ‘woman’ varies across region, religion, class and ethnic group. The foremost identity of woman as wife and mother is fairly unified. It is one in which woman is defined in relation to a man and her capacity to reproduce. This led many of the women to believe that acceptable female roles included only those centered on being a “devoted daughter, nurturing wife, and sacrificing mother” (Dasgupta & Warrier 1996, p. 246). Literature, life and cinema lie at a common interface which is marked by a constant flux of emotions and ideals. In the recent times this flux has become a matter of interest as both literature and cinema are easily accessible and are integral to the contemporary Indian psyche. Many writers worldwide have portrayed the dire need for emancipation of woman. Issues pertaining to women like gender disparity, psychological turbulence, schizophrenic psychosis, existential predicament etc have been highlighted by novelists. It is now media who has taken the responsibility of bringing these issues forcefully to its audience. Media definitely caters to a wide variety of audience and as compared to Literature, has a wider response Aligned to above research based and practiced based view point, the researchers have attempted to carry out an in -depth analysis on the movie ‘PROVOKED”, where the women stand against her Ideal Indian Self and walks towards the happiness with the help of western social support. This conceptual paper explores the unique contribution to traditional qualitative research methodology and urban educational renewal that documentary film can achieve through illumination of issues of social justice and existing inequities in public education.