VULNERABLE WOMEN AND

PROTECTIVE MENThe geography of fear in the Swedish town of

UmeåLinda Sandberg, PhD student, Department of Social and Economic geography

Umeå University, SwedenE-mail: Linda.Sandberg@geography.umu.se

THEORETICAL POINT OF DEPARTURE

The geography of fear

How fear affects peoples use of public space in an urban context

• Focus has been on women's fear of violence in public space

– More women than men are afraid – Women restrict their mobility as a

consequence of fear

UMEÅ

A middle-sized town in the north of Sweden with 110 000 inhabitants

A city with a self image of being low-crime, ’calm’ city

Umeå 1999-2006;

A very specific threat; ”The Haga man”, a serial rapist

• 7 assaults between 1999-2001

• 1 assault in 2005

THE STUDY

In-depth interviews with women and men living in Umeå

• 2001; 8 women

• 2005; 10 women and 10 men

• 2006; 10 follow-up interviews from 200520 new interviews (10 women and 10

men)

LEARNING TO BE AFRAID

A process that changed:

• Umeå's self-image as a safe city

• People’s behaviour and use of space

”THE HAGA MAN” AS A TURNING POINT

Prior “The Haga man”; A safe city for all

• Few women saw themselves as potential victims

• Most women felt relatively safe in public space

• Few men reflected on women's safety

After “The Haga man”; Learning to be afraid

• Women became perceived as vulnerable

• Women restricted their use of public space

• Men became aware of that they were perceived as a threat

• Men became protective;

» Over women they knew

» In their use of space

It should not have to be like this…

The Female ambivalence;

afraid and restricted vs. bold and equal

The Male anger;

• At the perpetrator• That they were perceived as potential

perpetrators

As a response to a specific threat:

A vulnerability awareness was developed in Umeå

Among both women and men:

• Women became perceived as vulnerable and hence aware of their own vulnerability

• Men became aware of women's vulnerability, and hence protective over women they knew and in their use of space

CONCLUSIONS