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Abstract

The current crime climate within the night-time economy suggests that women are subject to increased dangers of sexual violence, literature suggests that this could be impacted by elements of masculinity. This study sufficiently investigates the impact of masculinity on perceived ‘risks’ women face in the night-time economy, providing updated data in response to current affairs. For example the Sarah Everard case, the inception of needle spiking and how existing patriarchal masculine attitudes continue to underlie many ‘risks’ perceived by women. This study employs an interpretivist approach to conduct qualitative semi-structured interviews on a sample of ten young women aged 18 to 25. The data accumulated was then thematically analysed and assembled into four relevant themes: exaggerated masculinity background; self regulatory behaviour; vulnerability among young women; environmental factors that encourage masculinity.

The most prominent results from this study consisted of the following. Due to the threat of sexual assault and harassment in the night-time economy, women self-regulate their clothing and behaviour in order to maintain an ‘appropriately feminine’ image and avoid the attention of young males (Nicholls, 2018, p.2.). Spiking was found to cause incapability when resisting sexual advances, escalating vulnerability amongst the sample and increasing the possibility of ‘victim-blaming’ (Champion et al., 2021, p.6.; Kehner & Triggle, 2009). Limited visibility and other structural features in a typical night-time venue, were perceived to increase the ‘risk’ of sexual assault and harassment due to the enhanced opportunity to remain unnoticed when committing such acts. The aforementioned findings of the present study implicate that the night-time environment and spiking have heightened the female perception of ‘risk’ in the night-time economy due to masculine behaviours, this is evidently reflected in the modification of female conduct. Future research within this realm could consider the impact of masculine behaviours on other distinguished genders besides femininity.

Course: Sociology and Criminology - BSc (Hons) - C0979

Date Deposited: 2024-01-30

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis14329.html