Gender Differences in Fear of Crime: Analyzing the Impact of Various Levels of Factors in South Korea

Abstract

Although most research on gender differences in fear of crime has been conducted in Western contexts, few studies have directly compared these differences using various levels of variables in non-Western settings. This study addresses this gap by examining gender differences in fear of crime using a South Korean sample (N = 1,000), focusing on individual characteristics, neighborhood disorders, and city characteristics. The findings indicate that women report significantly higher levels of fear, especially regarding personal crimes, compared to property crimes. Additionally, living alone and residing in large cities impacts fear differently across genders in the South Korean context. Women living alone exhibit higher fear levels, while those in large cities experience less fear than men. These results contribute to understanding how gender differences in fear of crime manifest in East Asian societies and inform culturally appropriate crime prevention strategies.