Perception of Safety, Gender and Transportation Environments: The Case of Cuauhtémoc Metro Station, Monterrey

Abstract

Although the perception of insecurity is affected by the interaction of various factors, during the last decades, environmental criminology studies have stressed physical and spatial factors' impact on it. Perceptions of insecurity play a determining role in people's mobility, particularly affecting women. This study explores the impacts of the built environment of metro stations on the perception of insecurity of female users and how these influence mobility decisions in cities, using the Cuauhtémoc metro station in Monterrey as a case study. A qualitative methodology was used, “self photography”, in which a characterization of the elements is carried out based on the photographs and interviews with the participants to understand how these elements could be modified and positively impact the women's experience. The conclusions analyze the implications of the results in terms of urban design and public space policies.