Gender-bias in the built environment: how young women’s experiences in public space are understood and addressed in London

ABSTRACT

Although young women have an equal right to public space, socio-cultural influences both manifested in and sustained by the built environment contribute to their exclusion. Using mixed qualitative methodologies, this research explores the spatial and non-spatial causes of this injustice, and examines solutions presented by Key Independent Organizations addressing the issue in London. The analysis problematizes how inequitable social conditions may constrain young women’s design preferences, potentially leading to solutions that perpetuate gendered behaviours with detrimental outcomes. This study provides a point of reference for future initiatives addressing the problem and adds to the growing discourse surrounding inequality in public space.

KEYWORDS:

• Gendered behaviours
• public space design and use
• fear and exclusion
• spatial inequality
• young women and girls

Acknowledgments

Thanks to the focus group participants for offering their time and sharing their knowledge on this subject. Thank you to Julia King, Imogen Clark, and Susannah Walker for sharing their knowledge and networks, and for helping bring together the selection of key independent organizations in this space. Special thanks to Julia King for skilfully co-facilitating the focus group discussion, Valerie Bennett-Shaikly for her time and discussions which contributed to developing article, and to Bethany Francis for kindly producing the artwork included in the publication.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been corrected with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.