Young People’s Perception of Safety in Parks in an Intermediate Latin American City

Abstract

Open public parks are essential for recreation, leisure, social interaction, and the development of physical activities of young people. The perception of personal safety can inhibit or encourage its use. In urban contexts of Latin America this perception can be even more determinant. The purpose of this study was to identify the spatial, physical and social factors that influence safety perception of young people, taking Cuenca, Ecuador, as a case study. To accomplish this objective, a qualitative approach was applied, using three research instruments:  physical and spatial outlay of the parks, non-participant observation of flows and activities, and semi-structured interviews. The results show that safety perception is not only affected by urban design, as commonly considered by city decision makers and urban planners, but that there are other factors such as gender, people´s presence, activities and land uses, which enhance, and other times diminish, safety perception in young people. Some findings impose important challenges such as the stigmatization by young people of other vulnerable groups, the pros and cons of vegetation in public spaces, the dominant male use of some areas of the parks, among others. These results provide important information to establish better public policies and guidelines to design, implement and renew urban parks.