Women’s Topophobia and Urban Environments: A Spatial Approach

Unsafe urban environment creates human fear of places or topophobia. Women’s topophobia emerge partly by prejudices that reflected in their movement patterns in space. This article aims to identify the location and nature of women’s topophobia space in Pantai Dalam, Kuala Lumpur. A total of 391 women living in the study area were selected as respondents. The data on the space nature and location of topophobia was obtained through a field survey using questionnaire, and from points marked by the respondents on the Pantai Dalam based map. The topophobia location data was analyzed by using (GIS) while the nature of topophobia space data was analyzed by descriptive statistics and inferential statistics (chi-squared test). Results showed that the nature of the most feared topophobia space is lonely or deserted condition (82.1%). This percentage overcome other topophobia spatial characteristics such as road / lane (68.5%), isolated area and rarely traversed by humans (58.8%) and the space filled of drug addicts roaming around (41.9%). Perception of the most respondents towards the safety level indicates that Pantai Dalam is less safe (54%). The chi-squared test found that there is a relationship between the perception of the level of safety with the option of staying in that particular area. This study gives specific images of women vulnerabilities in physical and social environment in Pantai Dalam. Hence, the authorities should plan and develop Pantai Dalam towards safe and livable city.