Council’s ‘female welcome zone’ sparks segregation row in Canterbury-Bankstown
A radical proposal for dedicated “female welcome spaces” for young women in public areas has been adopted by a Western Sydney council, sparking a furious response from some residents who are warning against segregation.
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A radical proposal for dedicated “female welcome spaces” for young women in public areas has been adopted by a Western Sydney council, sparking a furious response from some residents who are warning against segregation.
The City of Canterbury Bankstown originally planned to call the areas “female safe zones”, which would have been marked with special signage, but scrapped the name after community feedback found the word “safe” was unnecessary.
“Their responses revealed they did not feel in danger or at risk in Canterbury-Bankstown, and there was no evidence to suggest “Female “Safe” Zones’ was an identified need based on a specific issue or request,” the spokesman said.
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He said the female welcome spaces would “seek to ensure public places are welcoming for all women and girls through education”.
But local Ushen Isaac is worried the idea sends the wrong message to the community.
“It shouldn’t be women only. It should be mixed. It’s absolutely wrong to segregate,” he said.
“When you separate one that’s the time it starts all the issues. Everybody should be included.
“It all comes down to a lack of education in a society. If people are educated then they won’t make others feel unsafe.”
A background report on council’s Youth Plan, where the plan emanated from, said there was an “identified need” for “safety in public spaces including addressing safety for women such as catcalling”.
About one in five people in the local government area — or 20.8 per cent of residents — follow Islam, according to 2016 Census data.
Mona Mahamed is the founder of Community Support Services in Bankstown and is strongly supportive of the female welcome spaces idea, saying that Muslim women “tend to like” segregation.
“Over 80 per cent of our clients are women and girls,” she said. “For Muslim women … they open up with other women and be themselves. Women connect so well together. It can be their respite time or their ‘me’ time. A lot of mental illnesses exist through isolation and feeling alone … having a safe space would help that.”
Bankstown mum Media Abubakir said segregated spaces can help people from immigrant backgrounds better integrate into the community.
“A woman-only space would be nice. They’ve got one like that in Lakemba I think. It helps you better integrate. But it depends on what facilities they have in there,” she said.
“It would help us get to know the women in the community. It’s sometimes hard to socialise as a young mum. I feel more comfortable in segregated (spaces).”
Canterbury-Bankstown council also offer women-only swimming at Wran Leisure and Aquatic Centre.
But a council spokesman said the female welcome spaces idea “certainly did not arise in relation to any culture or religion”.
Local councillor Linda Eisler said men would not be excluded from the spaces, which will be designed to help women find activities they enjoy in the community.
“It’s not about having women-only, it’s about having a space that they would find has things they want to do in that space,” she said.
Deputy Mayor Bilal El-Hayek said that with the growing population “youth and diversity friendly public spaces are even more critical”.
“Many spaces like skate parks mainly attract boys, therefore it is important we make public spaces equally attractive and welcoming to young girls,” he said.
Muslim Women’s Association executive officer Maha Abdo said women in general are “feeling unsafe” at the moment. “I see a lot of women are not actually venturing out as much before not because of local area being unsafe but just being unsafe altogether,” she said.
“But I don’t know that having a physical space will help — I certainly don’t want it to be fenced”.
The council spokesman said the Youth Action Plan was recently adopted and will be implemented over the next four years.
“As public spaces are improved, the design principles will include crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) — initiatives with the local community and other services will be developed to make areas in our community more comfortable and welcoming for all girls and women,” he said.
Bankstown resident Pamela Leopardi praised the idea as she sometimes feels “a bit awkward on the street here”.
Acupuncturist Amy Duong agreed it was a “great idea”.
“It’s good because there are certain areas where (locals) they want ladies only but how they go about it is a tricky thing,” she said.
Women-only gatherings and public spaces have gained popularity.
There is a women-only swimming pool at Hampstead Heath in London.