ranks in the lower tier of states nationally. We’ve recently been bestowed the dishonor ranking 2nd among states where women are most likely to be killed by men.
Many of my female friends have indicated that they often feel unsafe on Anchorage city streets after hours--particularly women working in downtown or midtown and even female students on the University campus. Our citywide trail system should be a major draw for young professionals, yet I know many women who would never be caught alone on it for fear of attack or assault. Anchorage will never truly be a community to “Live, Work, and Play” in if half of the population lives in fear for their safety, or faces harassment on their way to work, or can only ‘play’ while always looking over their shoulder.
There has been surprisingly little research on the relationship of city planning on gender violence, but there are clear trends indicating a strong relationship between built environment and violence against women. Urban planning nationwide and especially Anchorage has been largely ineffective in addressing urban violence against women. People often think I’m being trivial when I passionately advocate for public amenities like clear and lighted sidewalks; however, robust
community violence. Many planning issues are
public infrastructure is critical for decreasing framed as yuppie issues–wanting a dedicated bike lane –but planning is fundamentally a women’s rights and human rights issue as well.
Typical places that cause fear and insecurity for women are dark doorways, parks at night, empty and badly lit streets, underground car parks, and pedestrian underpasses. The optimum use of high quality lighting in public areas meets the security needs of women, as well as of pedestrians and cyclists in general. Good lights are not only important along the roads, but also along pedestrian walkways.” Lima, Peru sought to combat gender violence by increasing better signage and installing bus shelters citywide which allowed for clear visibility of the surrounding area. Additionally,
Lima moved to improve street and park lighting and fenced off large empty lots and
industrial areas. A case study in Cape Town found “extremely high levels of rape, for instance, were more common by narrow paths, open fields, distant communal latrines, unsafe transport hubs, and empty parking lots, and
near poor lighting.” The UN Habitat report found “one glaring manifestation of rapid urbanization in many cities is urban sprawl, resulting in long distances travelled to places of work, shopping, sports and leisure, and other facilities that cities offer.” The city pursued urban renewal strategies which included: Internal public transport and safe walkways, police training and increased presence in dangerous locations, bringing jobs and services closer to residents through mixed use development, and improvement and installation of lighting. Within one year of these implementations Cape Town experienced a 20 percent decrease in violent crime and the murder rate dropped by a third.
Many of these urban planning concerns can be found in Anchorage. During the dark winter's, most areas of downtown are poorly lite. Public transit stops and sidewalks are poorly maintained, having huge implications on safety. Large swaths of surface parking throughout the city create secluded areas which become hotspots for criminal activity. Lax zoning, absent of long term neighborhood planning coupled with subpar developers has created built spaces that breed gender violence in Anchorage. A lack of affordable housing forces women and families to the substandard margins where they lack support networks and are increasingly vulnerable to violence
"Feminism: the radical notion that women are people"
- Marie Shear