SHAPING SAFETY PERCEPTION

Abstract

Perceived safety within neighbourhoods plays a critical role in shaping individuals’ well-being, quality of life, and daily activities. This thesis examines whether the perceived safety of neighbourhoods is influenced by both perceived physical neighbourhood aspects (such as the absence of litter, graffiti, and deteriorated buildings) and perceived neighbourhood social cohesion (including the sense of trust and belonging among neighbours), and whether these influences vary between men and women.

Physical neighbourhood order can signal community engagement, upheld norms, and social control, affecting neighbourhood safety perception. Similarly, higher perceived social cohesion can enhance neighbourhood safety perceptions through expected social control measures. It is hypothesized that both higher perceived physical neighbourhood order and higher perceived social cohesion are associated with increased perceived neighbourhood safety, with stronger effects expected for women due to gender role socialisation.

This study analyses data from the Utrecht Resident Survey of 2023, with a sample of 6200 residents. The results indicate that both higher perceived physical neighbourhood order and, to a somewhat lesser extent, perceived neighbourhood social cohesion predict greater perceptions of neighbourhood safety. Importantly, these were found to be stronger for women than for men. To enhance neighbourhood safety among residents, it is recommended to adopt gender-sensitive safety policies, prioritize physical improvements such as cleanliness and maintenance, foster community cohesion, and enhance communication strategies to better inform residents.