Safe City

Safe City

Examining the physical role of the environment in the social security of women in the urban public spaces under study: Varamin city parks

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
1 Master's student in architecture, Faculty of Architectural Engineering and Urbanism, Shahrood University of Technology (SUT), Shahroood.
2 Assistant Professor, Faculty of Architectural Engineering and Urbanism, Shahrood University of Technology (SUT), Shahroood. Iran
Abstract
Introduction
Urban public spaces shape society, and society shapes urban public spaces. A suitable urban space should provide the security of different user groups . In fact, nowadays, the success rate of an urban space can be checked by measuring the people present in the space, especially the female users, and the variety of characteristics of the people who work in these spaces with a sense of security and comfort. Security is not only a concept. It is complex, vague and variable, but it is expressed as one of the basic human needs, and other needs depend on the satisfaction of a need such as security. One of the important factors that cause women to be marginalized is the functioning of urban spaces that limit women's mobility and make them face fear and insecurity. What doubles this necessity for women is that the lack of women's sense of security is actually a threat to the value of the role of mother, wife, and sometimes head of the family, and immunity from any harm and aggression that threatens women and women's privacy physically and mentally, is subsequently transferred to the next generations. Urban space must provide security for different user groups. Fear of criminal behavior and incidents in the urban environment has effects on women and vulnerable social and economic groups.
Methodology
The insecurity of women in urban spaces limits their full participation in the society and in addition to the psychological damage of the individual, it affects the families and finally the whole society, considering the active role of parks in the development of civil life and also improving the quality of leisure and Its effect on improving the quality of living, this research examines the sense of security of women in three gardens of Shaghaig, 15 Khordad and family in Varamin . The reduction of the active presence of women in the parks of Varamin , despite the efforts of Varamin management in providing facilities and services, is the problem of the research.research investigates the feeling of safety of women in the parks of Varamin , and for this purpose, three parks of Shagaig, 15 Khordad and Family were selected according to the localities where they were located, the size and the number of visits to the park. In this research, the physical and psychological components that affect women's sense of security in public spaces and strengthen women's presence were collected. To advance the research, theories related to social security and urban space were used. The obtained components were divided into two parts, physical factors and non-physical factors. In the next step, the indicators that can be effective in the sense of security of the female section of the society, and the physical components of the environment were collected with the help of documentary studies and the supervision of relevant experts. Using a survey method, questionnaires were answered by 400 women living in Varamin , and by regression analysis, the contribution of each of the variables of the physical characteristics of the environment in predicting the level of women's sense of social security was determined.
Results
Based on the results, the first hypothesis was confirmed with a moderate correlation and there is a significant relationship between the physical components of the environment and the feeling of social security in people, and the changes in the physical role of the environment cause changes in the feeling of security in people. The second hypothesis was the relationship between the components of the sense of security and accessibility, and according to the results obtained in the previous chapter of the research, this relationship has been confirmed with moderate correlation. According to the third hypothesis, the relationship between the components of feeling of security and services and facilities was proved with high correlation. The fourth hypothesis of the relationship between criminality and the presence of criminals in the environment and the level of feeling of social security has also been proven with a weak correlation. But the fifth hypothesis, which was a significant relationship between readability and transparency and feeling of social security, was rejected based on the results obtained with a very weak correlation. The readability of the space, the ease of recognizing paths and signs, etc., are effective in the components of permeability, but they do not directly affect the feeling of security. Further, with the obtained results, the relationship between sensory richness and sense of security was also determined and the sixth hypothesis was confirmed with a weak correlation. Also, the results obtained from the questionnaire showed that the personal characteristics of the interviewed women such as age, level of education and occupation do not have a significant effect on their sense of security.
Conclusion
The findings of the research indicate the existence of a direct and meaningful relationship between urban space and women's sense of security. In comparison, the physical features of the urban public space are very influential in women's sense of security, and this role is greater than its non-physical features. The presence of women in the urban space should be done in such a way as to give them space and time to take care of the burden of women's duties so that they can leave it for their leisure, interests, creativity and voluntary activities, social relations. They expand and get out of isolation in urban life. In order to increase the level of security at the level of urban public spaces or at the level of neighborhoods and cities, it is possible to increase the motivation of women to participate in social activities through the appropriate use of cultural spaces created in urban areas and make it possible to Pay more attention to the space and place of your life. This can only be achieved when they accept that the city belongs to them and if women pay more attention, it is possible to increase surveillance and reduce the possibility of crime, and through women's participation in the decision-making process at least at the levels.
Keywords
Subjects

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