Journal of Iranian Cultural Research

Journal of Iranian Cultural Research

"You have to take risk": Women’s perceptions of fear in female-only travel and their coping strategies

Document Type : Scientific Research Manuscript

Authors
N. Razavizadeh
S. Varshovi
Department of Tourism Sociology, Institute of Tourism Research, Jahad Daneshgahi of Mashhad (ACECR), Mashhad, Iran
10.22035/jicr.2021.439
Abstract
With the beginning of gender studies over two decades ago, issues such as inequality, constraints, and women's perceptions of fear, risk, threat, and security have gradually been included by researchers in social and tourism fields. The aim of this study is to investigate women's fears while traveling and their strategies to deal with those fears. A qualitative approach was used and in-depth semi-structured interviews with 19 middle-class female participants based in Mashhad were conducted. In the process, three types of fear (structural, social and personal) and three types of coping strategies (structural, social and personal) were identified. In this classification, "structural" fears or coping strategies refer to their sources or methods involving social, physical and spatial structure of a tourist destination. "Social" fears and strategies refer to emotions and reactions appear through interactions. "Personal" fears and coping strategies are related to the realm of cognitive and personal choices, preferences, abilities, and initiatives. Findings show that although women experience fears due to their subjective perception, the objective conditions of tourism environment and social construction help them put up some kinds of active or passive resistance. They understand the fear as an empowering tool. These experiences differ in terms of quality and depth from western context,, and Iranian women have more conservative orientations, but Iranian women they follow a similar path.
Keywords
geography of fear
single-gendered tourism
tourist gaze
women’s security
travel
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  • Receive Date 07 September 2019
  • Revise Date 06 October 2020
  • Accept Date 20 March 2021