A Right to the Night: Australian girls on their safety in public places

Plan International Australia and Our Watch commissioned a survey of 600 Australian girls and young women aged 15–19, asking their views on personal safety and gender equality, including their sense of security in public spaces. The findings show that 30 percent of Australian girls surveyed agreed that “girls should not be out in public places after dark.”

This finding is not unique to Australia – similar surveys conducted by Plan International in four countries – Ecuador, Nicaragua, Pakistan and Zimbabwe in 2015, show a similar situation for girls and young women’s freedom of movement.