Women's experiences on patriarchal surveillance and security in urban space

The aim of this study is to examine and discuss how women experience patriarchal surveillance in their daily lives, how this experience of patriarchal surveillance differs for women, and how surveillance for women builds their perception of security and spatial mobility. In the study, in which the qualitative research method was used, in-depth interviews were conducted with 26 women living in the central districts of Samsun. The findings of the study show that security concerns play a major role in shaping women's spatial mobility and women share a common experience regarding these security concerns. However, the class segregation seen in the management of personal security also differentiates women's urban space experiences from each other. The female body, which is at the center of urban space experiences in terms of security, is controlled through patriarchal surveillance mechanisms and disciplined within the framework of patriarchal norms and values. However, women turn the boundaries built for them into a field of negotiation and struggle through the various sub-policies they follow.