Column - City & Society

 Urban Safety: More than Headlines

Most of the time, discussing how to be safe happens after a newsworthy crime has occurred. However, women, transit riders, and other individuals have a constant need to think about safety from their homes to their workplaces, schools, and the areas surrounding them.

Although cities promise prosperity and freedom, many public spaces across cities do not offer either to the populations who live in them or to people who utilise public transportation there. The absence of well-lit and populated streets, as well as the lack of supportive individuals through visible social services, are the foundation of how people are forced to lead their day-to-day lives cautiously rather than confidently in public spaces. The ongoing requirement to always be alert becomes a new normal; nevertheless, it was never intended.

In addition to legislation and policy, social consciousness, collective responsibility, and awareness contribute to increasing urban safety; safety will be established in a city to the extent to which individuals take care of one another and respond in a timely and appropriate manner to all those in need.

The way in which the media reports on an issue also has an effect on how the public perceives that issue. A responsible media will accurately report on a problem without creating a sense of fear or sensationalism. Responsible media will provide information to foster discussion and awareness so that there is a chance for change, rather than just outrage when something horrible happens.

Safety should not be viewed as a special issue, but rather a basic right. As urban areas continue to grow and change, there is a need to look at whether those areas are becoming safer for everyone or whether they are merely becoming more crowded. The answer to that question is found in more than just how well the infrastructure is developed, it is also determined by how society defines respect, accountability, and care for an individual.