Loading...
Fear and safety for women and girls in the night-time economy: Findings from a Safer Street 4 project in England
Editors
Other contributors
Affiliation
Epub Date
Issue Date
2026-06-17
Submitted date
Subjects
Alternative
Abstract
This article reports on some of the findings from the Safer Street 4 Violence Against Women and Girls research in England’s West Midlands. It investigates women’s and girls’ perceptions of safety in public spaces and night-time economy venues, particularly around licensed premises after dark. Using participatory workshops and observational methods, the study explores reasons for fear, places associated with risk, and factors that foster a sense of security. Findings reveal that safety perceptions are strongly influenced by spatial and temporal contexts, as well as by past experiences—both personal and collective. Historical incidents of crime and sexual exploitation continue to amplify fear and shape behaviour, restricting women’s and girls’ freedom in public spaces. The article concludes that safety is not only about present conditions but also about how past events and ongoing environmental factors control and influence women’s everyday choices, offering recommendations to enhance safety in night-time and public settings.
Citation
Kanjilal, M., Khasteganan, N., Arnull, E. (in press) Fear and safety for women and girls in the night-time economy: Findings from a Safer Street 4 project in England, Criminology & Criminal Justice. DOI: 10.1177/17488958261455560
Publisher
Journal
Research Unit
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Embedded videos
Additional Links
Type
Journal article
Language
en
Description
© 2026 The Authors. Published by SAGE. This is an open access article available under a Creative Commons licence.
The published version can be accessed at the following link on the publisher’s website: https://doi.org/10.1177/17488958261455560
Series/Report no.
ISSN
1748-8958
EISSN
1748-8966
ISBN
ISMN
Gov't Doc #
Sponsors
This research was supported by the Home Office Safer Street -4 grant.