The Geography of Women’s Fear of Crime: Spatial Confidence and Constraints

Fear of crime is a critical problem in its own right. Although levels of fear are related to levels of criminal victimization, fear is influenced by other factors, such as a sense of vulnerability, signs of physical and social decay, and incivilities and disorders. This paper sought to explain the geography of women’s spatial confidence and fear of crime. Data were collected through a convenience sample of 65 women aged 18–49. The analysis used responses to open-ended survey items asking women to explain their confidence level and fear of crime in Sambalpur city. Results suggested that some women were spatially confident for some reason, but some women’s spatial confidence was undermined by the fear of being victimized in the city. It is essential to evaluate the effectiveness of police strategies not only in terms of their capacity to control crime but also in terms of their capacity to reduce fear. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.