about.
This project examines how women’s safety is constructed through institutional language, cultural narratives, and design practices that systematically shift responsibility onto individual behaviour rather than addressing structural failures.
Despite increasing public awareness, safety is commonly framed through precautionary advice such as “plan your route”, “stay alert”, or “avoid certain areas”. While these messages appear protective, they reinforce a model of safety based on self-regulation, positioning women as responsible for managing risk within environments that remain unchanged.
Grounded in feminist theory, technofeminism, and design justice, the project critically investigates how these dynamics are produced, normalised, and internalised. It combines qualitative research with discourse analysis to explore how safety is experienced in everyday life and how institutional messaging shapes behaviour, perception, and accountability.
“What if none of it is actually women’s fault?”
— Laura Bates
A project by Federica Lavenuta