What makes a park feel safe or unsafe?

What makes a park feel safe or unsafe?

The views of women, girls and professionals in West Yorkshire

The threat of harassment and violence restricts and inconveniences the everyday lives of women and girls, curtailing their freedom to use, enjoy and benefit from public spaces. This underscores the importance of listening to women and girls’ views and lived experiences in designing safer and more welcoming public spaces.

This research report by University of Leeds in collaboration with west Yorkshire Combined Authority aimed to better understand what women and girls perceive makes parks feel safe and unsafe, and why. It sought professionals’ views too, providing a comparison. The research was conducted across West Yorkshire, in 2022, with 67 women aged 19-84 years, 50 girls and young women aged 13-18 years and 27 professionals from parks and urban design services in local government and police.

Funded by: the UK Government Home Office (Safer Streets Fund)

About University of Leeds:

The University, established in 1904, is one of the largest higher education institutions in the UK. We are renowned globally for the quality of our teaching and research.

About West Yorkshire Combined Authority:

We work across West Yorkshire to develop and deliver policies, programmes and services which directly benefit the people of West Yorkshire.

For more information visit: https://www.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/about-us/