The Gendered Nature of Fear of Crime Socialization: Examining Sweden as a Context

• In Event: Poster Session

Abstract

This poster analyzes qualitative data with parents and their children in a university town in Sweden. Mothers, fathers, and children in Swedish families were interviewed separately regarding how their family makes decisions about safety. In addition, they were asked questions regarding the gendered nature of this process. Since Sweden scores consistently high on gender equality scales and has low crime rates, this context provided a great opportunity to look at how socialization practices are similar and different to those in the US concerning safety messages and the gendered nature of these messages. Specifically, I analyze the interviews to determine what safety messages were given to children, if safety messages were similarly or differently given to male and female children, if mothers and fathers give similar/different messages concerning safety to their children, and how male and female children interpret such messages (i.e., in similar or different ways). This study provides a unique opportunity to examine the impact of gender norms on fear of crime socialization in Sweden.

Author

• Nicole Rader, Mississippi State University