How safe are women-only parks perceived to be?

Women-only parks (WOPs) are gender-exclusive spaces. In the Indian subcontinent, they have been a social norm for centuries, and they are widespread today. This article aims to investigate the nature of WOPs in Karachi, Pakistan, by (a) inspecting and assessing the environment of these parks based on crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles, (b) evaluating users' and nonusers' perceptions of safety, and (c) assessing how the environment of WOPs, inspected based on CPTED principles, relates to women's perceptions. Field observations, a questionnaire survey, and interviews underpin the methodology. Results indicate that most users of WOPs feel safe there, but no significant differences exist between users' and nonusers' views of safety in public spaces in Karachi. Typical CPTED features (e.g., locks and gatekeepers) in WOPs seem to have a positive influence on park users' perception of safety. The article concludes with a discussion of the results and implications for future research.