Architecture and Disabled Women's Safety

​Disabled women are twice as likely to experience sexual assault. Additionally, disabled women feel significantly less safe than non-disabled women, across all settings, including busy spaces, residential streets and parks (ONS, 2021). And tragically disabled girls are ‘significantly’ more likely to have avoided’ a number of activities including going to school, exercising in public or meeting up with friends, because they were worried about public sexual harassment (Plan International, 2021). And yet disable women are often left out of discussions about safety in public space.

This research considered how architecture contributes to the vulnerability of disabled women, particularly how poorly designed accessibility puts disable women at risk. Also considering how inaccessible environments create a perception of vulnerability, which in turn leads to disabled women being targeted.

This research has not yet be published, but enquiries are welcome through the contact section of this website.