Women's safety involves strategies, practices and policies which aim to reduce gender-based violence (or violence against women), including women's fear of crime.

Women’s safety involves safe spaces. Space is not neutral. Space which causes
fear restricts movement and thus the community’s use of the space. Lack of
movement and comfort is a form of social exclusion. Conversely, space can
also create a sensation of safety and comfort, and can serve to discourage
violence. Therefore planning and policy around safety should always involve
and consider women1
.
Women’s safety involves freedom from poverty. This includes safe access to
water, the existence and security of communal toilet facilities in informal
settlements, slum upgrades, gender-sensitive street and city design, safe car
parks, shopping centers and public transporta­tion2
.
Women’s safety involves financial security and autonomy. Family income plays
a powerful role in the cessation of battering. Resource accumulation and
mobilization is a core strategy for coping with abusive relationships. Similarly,
women’s economic empowerment reduces their vulnerability to situations of
violence as they become less dependent on men and better able to make their
own decisions.
Women’s safety involves self-worth. In safe homes and communities, women
have the right to value themselves, to be empowered, to be respected, to be
independent, to have their rights valued, to be loved, to have solidarity with
other family and community members, and to be recognized as equal members
in society3
.
Women’s safety involves strategies and policies that take place before violence
has occurred to prevent perpetration or victimization. This can happen by
improving knowledge and attitudes that correspond to the origins of domestic
or sexual violence, such as adherence to societal norms supportive of violence,
male superiority and male sexual entitlement. Furthermore, women’s and girls’
full participation in community life must be promoted, partnerships between
local community organizations and local governments must be pursued,
and includ­ing a full diversity of women and girls in local decision-making
processes must be promoted. Prevention efforts involve strategic, long-term,
comprehensive initiatives that address the risk and protective factors related
to perpetration, victimization and bystander behavior4
.
Women’s safety means a safer, healthier community for everyone. This is
a participatory process focused on changing community norms, patterns
of social interaction, values, customs and institutions in ways that will
significantly improve the quality of life in a community for all of its members5
.
This is a natural by-product of efforts that attempt to address issues such as
family dynamics, relationships, poverty, racism and/or ending sexual violence.
Building a healthy, safe community is everyone’s job6
.
Notes:
1 Anna Bofill Levi, Rosa Maria Dumenjo Marti & Isabel Segura Soriano, “Women and the
City,” Manual of Recommendations for a Conception of Inhabited Environment from the
Point of View of Gender. Fundacion Mari Aurelia Company
2 Mary Ellsberg & Lori Heise. “Researching Violence against Women: A Practical Guide
for Researchers and Activists,” World Health Organization & Program for Appropriate
Technology in Health, 2005.
3 Morgan J. Curtis. “Engaging Communities in Sexual Violence Prevention; A Guidebook
for Individuals and Organizations Engaging in Collaborative Prevention Work,” Texas
Association Against Sexual Assault.