Difference in safety
Some, if not many spaces are safer for men than for women. Intimidation and violence can occur in public areas such as parks. Although men and women can both be on the receiving end, there are differences in frequency and types of harassment. Did you know that between 2020-2021 twice as many women compared to men claimed to have experienced intimidation in a public space?
This means that the risk of being catcalled is higher for women than for men. Maybe you know - or are - someone who has had encounters such as these. A public space, such as a square or a park, can feel much less threatening for a man than for a woman. As such, the meaning of the bench in Plantsoen park depends on who looks at it. Someone's visible characteristics, such as their gender, can heavily influence their experience of the metal-and-wooden bench. For one person it's a nice place to rest, for another a space to stay alert. Time can also influence someone's consideration of whether to sit on it. After sunset, some avoid the unlit trail, while others walk without a sense of looming threat. Almost a quarter of all women regularly or often avoid certain spaces because of the threat of harassment, compared to 5.7% of men.