Urban security and security perception: The case of Afyonkarahisar

Urban security is not limited to crime prevention or the elimination of physical threats. It is based on a holistic approach encompassing a wide range of dimensions, including economic stability, housing security, effective infrastructure services, sustainable transportation systems, disaster preparedness, public health, food security, and environmental protection. In this regard, international documents emphasize that urban security should be addressed not only through law enforcement measures but also in conjunction with factors affecting social well-being and quality of life. This study first examines various documents adopted by international organizations such as the United Nations and the Council of Europe and evaluates their contributions to a multidimensional understanding of urban security. The analysis shows that these documents support urban security components across a wide range of areas, from social inclusion to adaptation to climate change, and set normative principles for these areas. Subsequently, a field study was conducted to examine the urban security perceptions of residents of Afyonkarahisar city center. The study explored residents' perceptions of urban security within a multidimensional framework and analyzed these perceptions comparatively across various sociodemographic variables. In this context, a multidimensional urban security scale consisting of 10 subscales, ranging from individual security to environmental security, was employed. The study population consisted of individuals aged 18 and over residing within the boundaries of Afyonkarahisar Municipality. Accordingly, at least one participant was reached from each of the city's 42 neighborhoods, and data were collected from a total of 443 individuals. The data obtained in the study were analyzed using statistical methods; in addition to descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and correlation analyses were conducted. The findings indicate that participants' perceptions of personal security, housing security, health security, and basic infrastructure security are relatively higher, whereas they feel less secure in the areas of economic security, transportation security, disaster security, and water and food security.