Public parks and the geography of fear

This article investigates the geography of fear surrounding the use of public parks in Leicester city, Britain. Fear was a major deterrent limiting the use of parks, especially for women, the elderly and Asian and African-Caribbean people. Certain fears were particularly important for specific groups: women were particularly fearful of sexual attack, the elderly of mugging and Asian and African-Caribbean people of racial attack. Women and African-Caribbean people were most liable to alter their behaviour as a result of their fears. The spatial outcomes of fear thus both reflect and reinforce social injustice based on gender and race inequality. As parks are becoming important foci of new environmental strategies for cities it is essential that local government is aware of the spatial consequences of the socially differentiated geography of fear, if all members of the community are to be encouraged to increase their participation in public parks.