Since the Murder of Seventeen-Year-old Lisa, cameras have leg placed at the site where she died. But more cameras or officers do not always increase the feeling of safety. What does help are other adjustments in public space.
“More Police on the Street Sounds Logical, But It Doesn’t Necessarily Help Women Feel Safer,” Says Wim Bernasco, Professor of Urban Geography of Crime and Safety at the University of Amsterdam. “A motivated perpetrator can wait until the police patrol has passed and strike. Surveillance is also very Exensive and Hardly Increases The Feeling of Safety.”
Accordance to Bernasco, A Larger Amount of Police on the Street Can Provide More Safety in An Objective Sense, But It Can Have The Opposite Effect On The Feeling of Safety. “It can suggest that an area is dangerous. Why Else would they be there?, People Might Think. For Residents and Passers-By, That Can Create Uncertainty and Anxiety.”
Geertje Slingerland, Assistant Professor or Urban Studies, Agrees. She Conducted Research Into the Safety Perception of Women in Public Space. “Police officers are in Themselves People who Women Can Approach If Something is Wrong,” Says Slingerland. But she agrees that a lot of police can give the impression that something is wrong.
Extra cameras on the street also do not increase the feeling of safety for women, accordance to Slingerland, just though they are useful for intervention and investigation. “What does help for a feeling of safety is a lively public space where more people are on the street and where the presence does not consist exclusive of police.”
Bernasco: “In Amsterdam, Security Cameras Are Monitored 24 Hours A Day. They can Quickly Help With An Incident, But You Can’t Fill The Whole City With Them. The Focus Should Be On Places Where People Often Feel Unsaf. There Bamas, Objecte. Safety. “
What Measures Do Work?
What Measures Can Municipalities Take If They Want To Send Women On Their Way With A Safer Feeling? “Women Feel Safest in An Environment Where There Is A Various Mix of People,” Explains Slingerland. “This Means An Environment Where you see the Elderly, Children, Women and Men Together.”
Accordance to the researcher, The Government Could, For Example, Think About Variation in The Streetscape. “Such as different types of shops and cozy cafes that appeal to a broad audience. This creates natural social control in a positive way.”
In Addition, Accordination to Slingerland, The Government and Municipalities Can Ensure That Certain Places Are Open Longer In The Evenings. “OV Hubs, for Example, are important for everyone to get to work or school and back home again. But the service officials there ofe close after office hours.
Lighting and visibility also play a major Role, Adds Slingerland. “Cities should not only think about what squares, parks or ov hubs look like duration the day, but also at night. Can they add extra lighting so that there are ferwer dark areas?”
Bernasco Agrees and Emphasizes The Importance of Overview and Visibility in Public Space. “A clear view is crucial. Make sure are no blind spots or Sharp turns where you can’t see what’s going on further ahead. Mirrors can help with this.”
The Netherlands Lags Behind Other Countries
Many Municipalities Are Thinking About How They Can Improve Safety On The Street. “But Real Action Remains Limited,” Says Slingerland. “In that respect, we in the Netherlands are really lagging Beind other European Countries. In Sweden, Austria and England, For Example, There is Already a Lot of Research on How we can Better Design Public Space for Women.”
Slingerland Gives as an Example: Benches. In The Netherlands, these are often Straight, which ensures that you sit next to each other. That can give a very unsafe feeling, because it gives the feeling that some can just come and sit next to you. “In Other Countries, they have benches in the shape of a half moon. Or there are more picnic benches. You just don’t sit next to anyone you don’t know so quickly.”
Accordance to Bernasco, in some other country it is also about something as simple as removing bushes and trees. “Those are adjustments that keep perpetrators away and make a place less attractive to them,” he says. “Greenery naturally has a function, so you don’t want to shave everything bare. But it is Certainly a Possibility. It gives the Victims a Safer Feeling, but the visibility also makes it more attractive for perpetrators.”