YourGround: Mapping a safer Victoria for women and gender-diverse people

Research Background
Due to fear of violence and harassment, women and gender diverse people often restrict their movements in public open spaces. With the implementation of Victoria’s Gender Equality Act 2020, creating inclusive spaces is a state-wide priority. YourGround was a digital mapping platform created by Monash’s XYX Lab and digital consultancy, CrowdSpot, that engaged women and gender-diverse people to map their perception of safety when exercising and undertaking recreational activities in Victorian outdoor areas during the state’s Covid-19 lockdowns.

Research Contribution
Designed to encourage engagement, the YourGround research platform was interactive, visual, intuitive, accessible across Victoria and open to anyone over 18 years identifying as a woman or gender diverse. The map allowed users to anonymously drop a pin, tell a story or share their experiences of feeling un/safe when outdoors. The data was used to generate individual reports for specific local government areas providing key decision makers with insights that could assist them to create more inclusive and equitable community spaces.

Research Significance
YourGround received close to 6,000 anonymous submissions. The project gave voice and a sense of agency to those often-marginalised and unrepresented in public placemaking. It was supported by two state government bodies; the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, and Respect Victoria, and 23 local governments across Victoria. YourGround was the winner of the Interact category of the 2021 Design Institute of Australia Awards, was the Digital Placemaking Winner at the 2022 Asia-Pacific Place Leader Awards, was a Good Design Award Winner in the Social Impact category and was highly commended in the 2021 Victorian Premier’s Design Awards for Design Strategy. The project received substantial mainstream press including features on ABC Radio National, ABC Perth News, The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Brisbane Times, WA Today, and The Courier. Plans to extend YourGround to locations in New South Wales are currently underway.