Unsafe Schools: An Examination of High School Females’ Experiences with School Safety

This study aims to identify the safety issues faced by female high school students in Türkiye, both at school and on their commutes to and from school. The study group consists of 36 female students attending high school in southeastern Türkiye who experience safety concerns on their way to school. In the research, phenomenology pattern, one of the qualitative research methods, was used. Participants were selected by criterion sampling method. According to the research results, it was determined that the students experienced safety problems inside the school, on the way to school and due to personal reasons. Among the safety problems experienced within the school, the most prominent ones were determined as “fighting/violence,” “secret photo taking,” “lying,” “slander,” “bullying” and “foreign individuals.” Schol road safety problems are divided into four subcategories: “pedestrian,” “service,” “public transportation” and “personal reason.” Research findings indicate that girls do not feel sufficiently safe on their way to school. Based on the research results, it has been concluded that the route to school for girls needs to be made safer. Research findings indicate that it is urgent and highly important to make school routes and school route paths safe enough for children to feel secure.