| Fear of crime operates to constrict the social and political autonomy of women. On college campuses this fear of crime restricts women's social and academic activities such as taking courses at night. The social control inherent in negotiating physical and sexual safety in women's everyday lives is in part the effect of crime prevention and safety discourse. At the heart of this project is an attempt to understand how and why a university defines safe and appropriate space, activities and roles for women on campus. The research utilizes a mixed methods approach including participant observation of safety courses and performances, in-depth interviews with campus administrators and safety authorities, and textual analysis of distributed advice. Results indicate an often inconsistent and restrictive message aimed at 'stranger danger' reflective of tensions between ideologies, approaches, and the need to keep existing students safe while actively recruiting new ones. |
