Gender, Spatiality and Fear: Young women's experiences of outdoor physical activity

Abstract

This paper seeks to explore gender, spatiality and fear relations, previously established in geography, leisure and tourism research, through young women's experiences of outdoor physical activity. The aim of this paper is threefold. Firstly it will explore what is meant by ‘safe and unsafe’, with particular focus on the environment(s) where outdoor physical activity does or could occur. Secondly, it will attempt to gain a clearer understanding of the psychological, social and cultural characteristics that render certain environments threatening. Thirdly, it will link our understanding of gender, spatiality and fear to the applied context of physical activity and health policy, promotion and provision. I will draw on empirical data from a series of surveys, group and individual interviews with a group of 74 young female undergraduate students aged between 18 and 24, who recount their experiences of fear of victimisation and outdoor physical activity. The students were either in full‐time or part‐time attendance at a university in the south‐west of England, with 47 studying towards sport and exercise related degree programmes, and 27 studying nonsport and exercise related degrees. Findings were expectedly interesting and diverse. Results provide an interesting insight into a relatively under‐researched area in physical activity literature, and have implications for future public health policy in the UK, both on a local and national level.

Key words:

• gender
• spatiality
• fear
• women
• outdoor physical activity