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This study explores how women’s perceptions of safety is impacted by participating in a program aimed at preventing violent extremism (PVE). The theoretical framework mainly draws on literature on women and conflict prevention, sacred values and human security studies. In combining theoretical arguments from these fields, I hypothesize that women’s perception of safety will be negatively impacted by participating in PVE-programs. That is because their participation will challenge sacred gender norms by taking up leadership roles in the community that usually belong to men. As a result, hostile reactions from community members will follow, i.e. from those whose sacred values are challenged, which in turn is expected to impact women’s perception of safety negatively. This thesis applies qualitative methods and to compare between two groups of women who participate in a PVE-program through different roles, and one group of non-PVE-participating women. Semi-structured interviews were held with two PVE-participating groups (female religious leaders and female economic leaders) as well as with non-PVE-participating women in Indonesia. The purpose of this case selection is twofold. First, to examine whether the PVE-participation in itself has an effect on women’s perceptions of safety. Second, to explore whether to explore whether certain roles that women take in a PVE-program challenge sacred gender norms more than others, and as such, leads to more negative perceptions of safety. The results indicate that PVE-participants challenge sacred norms, however, these norms do not always have a gendered underpinning, but are more religious in nature than anticipated. Contrary to my hypotheses, women’s perception of safety is not necessarily negatively impacted by participating in PVE-programs. The results rather indicate that women’s perception of safety can be both positively and negatively impacted by their participation, mainly depending on how their participation is understood by others. Additionally, PVE-participating women mainly challenge gender norms before they begin their participation, instead of during its active phase. As such, the results suggest that time aspects are important to fully understand women’s perception of safety.

Thesis (M.Soc.Sc. Psychology)--University of Waikato, 2007. / Title from PDF cover (viewed March 4, 2008) Includes bibliographical references (p. 127-137)

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Die Komplexität des Sicherheitsempfindens bringt es mit sich, dass nicht wenige Theorien vorhanden sind, mit denen versucht wird, das Zustandekommen von Kriminalitätsfurcht bzw. Sicherheitsempfinden zu erklären. Die Theorie der generellen Ängste, der sozialen Desorganisation, der sozialen Problemperspektive bezeichnen einige Pfade dieser Entwicklung. Die erste und scheinbar selbstevidente Theorie war jene der Viktimisierung. Es schien auf der Hand zu liegen, dass Viktimsierungserfahrungen die Kriminalitätsfurcht steigern.

The primary purpose of the study is to explore the connections between residents' perception of safety and their crime experience, and the existence of gates and fences in multi-family housing communities in urban areas. For cultivating discussions regarding the connections between gated community territory, safety, and crime experience, this study classifies apartment communities according to the conditions of their gating and fencing: gated communities, perceived gated communities, and non-gated communities. It investigates residents' perceptions of safety and their opinions and managers' opinions on gated territory and safety. The major findings from the surveys are: Residents felt safer in gated communities than in non-gated communities. Residents' perceptions of safety in perceived gated communities were similar to those in gated communities. These results reflected the territoriality issue for improving residents' perceived safety in apartment communities. Residents' perceptions of safety in architectural spaces showed that residents' fear of crime in public and semi-public spaces must first be addressed in order to ease residents' fear of crime in an apartment territory. The reality of crime in apartment communities differed from residents' perceptions of safety. Gated community residents reported a higher crime rate than nongated community residents. In addition to gates and fences that define apartment territory, such elements as patrol services, bright lighting, direct emergency buttons, and visual access to the local police were indicated as the important factors for improving residents' perceived safety. Some architectural factors and demographic factors exhibited statistical correlations with residents' perceptions of safety. Those were types of communities, dwelling floor level, educational attainment, family size, and annual income. For predicting residents' perceptions of safety in their apartment territory, multiple regression models were obtained and residents' neighborhood attachment was also considered in the multiple regression models. The apartment community managers emphasized direct maintenance issues and residents' social contact with neighbors for improving residents' perceived safety. In conclusion, design and managerial suggestions for safer communities were proposed. For creating safer multi-family housing communities, territoriality and related architectural conditions and managerial considerations and residents' participations are emphasized. The concept of community programming for safer multi-family housing communities is suggested.

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On April 16, 2007, 32 students and faculty were killed on the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University campus, making this incident the deadliest mass school shooting in United States history. Other school shootings, such as the infamous Columbine High School shootings and the more recent Northern Illinois State shootings, have become popular topics in today's social media (Kaminski et al, 2010; Reese 2009). Due to these events, schools and universities have become interested in the safety of their students as well as the students overall feelings towards crime while on their campus. New research studies have taken an interest in students' overall fear of crime and how this fear is impacted by variables including sex of the student and the time of day (Kaminski et al. 2010; Murray 2001). Though these studies have found who is more fearful of crime and which types of crime are feared most among their samples, these studies and others do not take into account whether the student is aware of shooting incidents that have occurred on college campuses around the country. The current study addresses this gap. The purpose of this study is to measure whether a University of Central Florida student's knowledge of mass school shootings influences their own levels of fear regarding crime and criminal victimization. Using an anonymous online survey, data from students at the University of Central Florida was collected and analyzed. The survey used quiz style questioning to gauge a students' overall knowledge on mass school shootings. Other questions such as demographics fear of various types of crime, and fear of different locations on campus were also asked.; This research addresses which areas of the University of Central Florida that students fear most (such as the Parking Garages), whether a student who lives in off campus housing is more fearful then a student who lives on campus, and whether having more knowledge of mass school shootings cause more fear of crime in students then those with less knowledge, and do students with more knowledge feel that they will be victimized more. This research hopes to help the University of Central Florida's Counseling center and well as the UCF Police Department to help understand students fears and needs to help create a safer learning environment and help those students in need in addition to adding to the overall literature on fear of crime.

Research examining college choice has traditionally focused on factors relating to demographics of the student and the college/university. Less attention has been directed towards how safety and security of the campus and the surrounding community play a role in college choice. In addition, some studies have examined students’ fear of crime, perception of safety and security, and perception of public safety; however, there is still much to be learned. The current study sought to further the research by (1) assessing how campus safety and security impacts enrollment decisions, (2) assessing how students perceive fear of crime and their personal safety, and (3) determining how students view campus public safety officers and the various programs/policies designed to improve their safety. Survey data was gathered from a sample of students attending East Tennessee State University. Results suggested that several factors played a role in the outcomes of interest. Findings served to better our understanding of the topic and promote future research in the field.

There are a number of issues preventing the rollout of cargo bikes as a transportation mode in the United States. One concern that has been raised is whether cargo bikes can function as a gender equitable transportation solution in the United States, given documented gender gaps in national bike riding statistics and ongoing inequities in childcare in 2-parent heterosexual households. The research is aimed at reviewing the practicality, enjoyment, and outcome of cargo bike use as a gender equitable transportation solution. This research contributes to new knowledge in gender equitable transportation in 2 ways — a) gender-focused analysis of survey data regarding cargo bikes use; b) extended open-ended interviews with mothers with cargo bikes. Qualitative and quantitative data from surveys and interviews explore the influence of cargo bikes on transportation patterns and follow how behavior, attitude, spatial context, and perception varies between riders. Specific attention is given to the use of cargo bikes by women with children, as this demographic represents a minority group in the bicycle community and a group who could benefit most from the capabilities of a cargo bike design. Research shows, mothers spend more hours a day around their children and take part in more child-related activities. Therefore, the comfort and feasibility of the cargo bike for women with children becomes the topic of exploration to determine whether this mode type is a functional substitution for trips usually made by an automobile. Through the collection of a nation-wide survey of cargo bike riders and in-person interviews with mothers in San Luis Obispo, CA who currently use a cargo bike to transport their children and goods, the research assesses the travel patterns of women and the emotional and physical benefits cargo bikes can provide to this specific demographic. Results show that benefits of cargo bike use include boding opportunities with children and a more enjoyable commute, while barriers to use include ill-performing bicycle infrastructure and time allocation for trips made by the cargo bike, in comparison to the automobile. Mode substitution behavior from the automobile to the cargo bike is geographically and culturally specific, but as results from both parts of the study show, women are receptive to cargo bike use and demonstrate a powerful demographic that has the potential to influence the travel patterns of current and future commuters to shift away from automobile dependency.