Ethnic Minority Women's Experience of Fear of Crime on Public Transportation in Metro-Vancouver

Abstract

Currently, there is an absence of research examining experiences of fear of crime on public transportation in Canada, and more specifically, in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. In this study, 12 semi-structured, in-depth interviews were conducted to explore how ethnic minority women experience fear of crime on public transportation in Metro-Vancouver. The data was analyzed and coded inductively to derive categorical codes, which were then reviewed to identify emergent themes. Data analysis is ongoing, but preliminary themes include: a decrease in visibility causes an increase in fear of crime, fear of the unknown or potential – “you never know what is going to happen,” it is safer to take the SkyTrain than the bus, no one is there when you need them, and altered travel behaviour and patterns.