A Routine Activity Approach: Assessing Victimization by Gender in Transit Environments and Other Public Locations

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to examine how transit environments and other public spaces shape women's and men's victimization for simple assault, aggravated assault, sexual assault, robbery, and kidnapping crimes. This research applies routine activities theory to examine how everyday activities shape victimization within these environments. Using data from the Federal Bureau of Investigations' 2014 National Incident-Based Reporting System, this research finds that women were more likely to be victimized in certain spaces such as shopping centers and transit terminals. Regarding certain violent crimes, it was also discovered that women were more likely to be robbed at shopping centers, grocery stores, parking lots/garages, and transit terminals. It is argued that understanding the vulnerability of simple assault, aggravated assault, sexual assault, robbery, and kidnapping victimization women have in transit environments and other public spaces may provide useful insight regarding preventing crime in these locations.

Gendered mobility and violence in the São Paulo metro, Brazil

“…For this reason, the settings in space and time where women are victimised by violence are not the same as for men. International literature analysing violent and property crimes in urban transit systems broken down by gender shows a pattern similar to our Brazilian study (Loukaitou-Sideris, 2005; Savard, 2018). As noted by Savard et al (2017), the existence of ‘gendered spaces’ implies that women, for example, are more exposed to victimisation in settings that are more prevalent in a woman’s routine than a man’s, such as shopping centres and grocery stores.…”

“…Previous studies support the hypothesis that neither mobility nor criminal victimisation is gender neutral (FIA Foundation, 2016; Peters, 2001; Savard, 2018; Uteng, 2012). This hypothesis should also be valid in transit environments, since the daily and weekly patterns of each gender’s routine activities tend to be different (Cresswel and Uteng, 2008).…”

“…(ii) If mobility is gender differentiated, violent offences in the São Paulo metro will follow gender-specific differentiated spatial and temporal patterns, varying by time of movement, both hour and day (for different victimisation patterns by gender, see Ceccato and Paz, 2017; Savard, 2018). This hypothesis is illustrated in Figure 1 – Box 3.1.…”

“…(iii) Different environments have a distinct effect on the risk of women and men being victimised within metro stations (Law, 1999; Uteng, 2012), with environment being a function of the station’s characteristics and of the context in which stations are embedded (for the effect of environmental characteristics on the risk of victimisation from a gender perspective, see Savard, 2018; Savard et al, 2017).…”

Applying Routine Activity Theory: A Case Study of the Sonya Farak Drug Scandal

“…Crime increases as people engage in everyday situations that occur outside of the home (see also McNeeley, 2015). For example, Savard (2018) illustrated that routine behaviors which take place in certain locations outside of the home for women increase their likelihood of victimization. Specifically, women have higher likelihoods of victimization if they frequent "transit" locations such as public garages and parking lots or use public transportation.…”