Coventry Women’s Voices (CWV) together with the Integrated Transport & Logistics Group at Coventry University launched a new survey, in December 2012, to find out the degree of concern women who live and work in Coventry have about their safety in public spaces.
The survey was to measure women’s experience of harassment in public spaces in Coventry and the findings were launched for International Women’s Day in March 2013.
Naomi Wilcox of CWV commented:
“I don’t know a single woman who hasn’t experienced sexual harassment in some form or other during her life. From wolf-whistling and jeers, to sexual assault, sexual harassment in public spaces is a huge problem that women around the world face on a daily basis. It’s important that we challenge street harassment so women can feel safe when they leave the house, and begin to dispel the myth that ‘it’s just a bit of fun’.
International studies show that most women experience harassment in public places at some point in their lives. Harassment can range from comments to groping, flashing and assault. It is rarely reported but can have serious long term effects such as depression, anxiety and a reduced sense of safety that affects what women do and where they go. We want to know how women in Coventry are affected by harassment as the first step to tackling this often invisible problem.”
The Integrated Transport & Logistics Group at Coventry University is exploring how to use, manage and transform existing transport solutions to promote economic growth, reduce emissions and improve societal wellbeing. http://bit.ly/S7aXLs
The full report of the Public Spaces and Gender study will be uploaded here on Wednesday 10th April. The launch of the Coventry Harassment Project takes place on 9th April – check back for more details on 10th April.
Coventry Women's Voices 