MEX AND THE CITY: WOMEN’S PERCEPTIONS OF UNSAFETY IN THE STREETS OF MEXICO CITY
Summary
This thesis attempts to contribute to the existing knowledge on gender and urban space. It
looks into the problem of women’s perceptions of urban (un)safety in public spaces and the
ways they address the perceived risk. The work further explores how women’s urban
routines are influenced by the security measures they introduce to feel safer. The case study
of this research is Mexico City, specifically the streets of its Historic Center. Focus on the
outcomes of the coping strategies for women’s urban lifestyle was missing in the previous
studies. Key techniques used were in-depth interviews, surveys, safety audit and
participative walks, as well as collaboration with the local expert community.
Beyond discovering and describing women’s experiences in urban spaces, this work
produces empirical evidence on how their fear is constructed along the lines of gender. The
female citizens of the city tend to introduce limiting and non-sovereign response strategies in
order to decrease their vulnerability. This affects their use of public space and has
implications for their everyday routine, with the perceived state of unsafety decreasing
women’s enjoyment of urban opportunities and engagement in city life. Moreover, zero-sum
urban governance makes the distribution of services and security policy uneven to the
disfavor of some groups of women. This fact is evident in the Historic Center, where street
vendors and the homeless are seen as obstacles to touristification. Finally, employing a
gender perspective, this thesis argues that gender and intersectional issues need to be
considered in the spatial design and urban planning of Mexico City.