This research paper examines the experience of women in the public urban space during the night hours. Initially, it highlights the ways in which the patriarchal society and the incomplete and non-inclusive design of the urban environment significantly influence and shape, to a large extent, the way in which female users experience the contemporary, nocturnal, Greek city. In particular, there is a strong focus on women's night-time experiences and feelings of fear and anxiety, stemming from safety issues and incidents of gender-based violence. Next, an attempt is made to highlight feminist actions and mobilizations, by different organizations and groups, which aim to overturn the patriarchal urban model and to give greater freedom of movement to female subjects during the night hours. Finally, a critique of the Greek feminist movement is presented and proposals for improvements in the female urban experience are made.
The research is supported by an extensive bibliography of feminist critics and aided by the compilation and highlighting of the experiences of female users of the Greek cities, through relevant research. Furthermore, insights are drawn from small-scale survey through interviews with women and experts on gender issues in the architectural field. The research adopts critical tools such as that of intersectionality as an attempt to intersect gender relations with other axes of power such as class, age, sexuality and race.
The study aims to create a broader framework for understanding the conditions that reproduce gender discrimination and women's sense of displacement in urban space with a focus on nightscapes. It also seeks to outline the portrait of the feminist movement in Greece and the efforts to achieve urban justice, in order to encourage further practices of collectivity and solidarity that are capable of enriching women's nightlife. The challenge of the dominant urban model and oppressive gender norms, as well as the emergence of alternative approaches, are guiding paths for the research process and for the promotion of an active dialogue on gender justice issues.
