Faculty of Human Sciences, Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico.
Directorate of Epidemiological and Psychosocial Research, National Institute of Psychiatry Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico.
PLoS One. 2022 Sep 7;17(9):e0272933. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0272933. eCollection 2022.
There are processes of gender socialization that increase the vulnerability of young women against a continuum of threats in the public space. This study explored the feeling of insecurity in public spaces among young women in a city located near the northern border of Mexico.
This study was based on the tradition of grounded theory. Purposive sampling was used, and 24 group interviews were conducted with junior high school, high school and university students to understand the conditions that favour the emergence of the feeling of insecurity, its psychosocial consequences and management strategies. A computer-assisted qualitative analysis was performed using MAXQDA 18 software. The study showed that street harassment was manifested mainly as sexual harassment but generated a continuous threat of feminicide and disappearance. Young women experienced discomfort and restrictions on mobility, and they had to assume individual responsibility for their safety in the absence of support from the state.
The interaction between gender and age determines the vulnerability to crime in urban spaces. Future studies could analyse the chronic impact of this continuum of threats and develop psychosocial interventions that promote the empowerment of young women.
性别社会化的过程增加了年轻女性在公共空间面临一系列威胁的脆弱性。本研究探讨了位于墨西哥北部边境附近的一个城市中年轻女性在公共空间的不安全感。
本研究基于扎根理论传统。采用目的性抽样，对初中、高中和大学生进行了 24 组小组访谈，以了解有利于不安全感产生的条件、其心理社会后果和管理策略。使用 MAXQDA 18 软件进行计算机辅助定性分析。研究表明，街头骚扰主要表现为性骚扰，但造成了不断的杀害女性和失踪的威胁。年轻女性感到不适和行动受限，而且在没有国家支持的情况下，她们不得不为自己的安全承担个人责任。
性别和年龄的相互作用决定了年轻女性在城市空间中遭受犯罪的脆弱性。未来的研究可以分析这种威胁连续体的慢性影响，并制定促进年轻女性赋权的心理社会干预措施。
