Miedo al delito y práctica deportiva urbana: un análisis de la percepción de riesgo en Cartagena, Colombia

Introduction: Insecurity remains a significant challenge in Cartagena, Colombia, a city ranked among the 50 most dangerous worldwide and across Hispanic America. This phenomenon profoundly impacts the engagement in sporting activities. Objective: To evaluate the perception of fear of crime among athletes across various disciplines in Cartagena, Colombia. Method: Through a descriptive, cross-sectional study, a Likert type scale was administered to 301 individuals practicing physical exercise and sports in open air settings (parks, courts, and streets). The study utilized the Spanish adapted version of the Fear of Crime Scale (FoCS). Results: The findings indicate that the majority of participating athletes were male (60.5%), while females accounted for 39.5%. A critical disparity was identified regarding the perceived risk of robbery, specifically among female athletes over the age of 50. Conclusion: Insecurity in Cartagena does not affect all demographics equally; rather, it leads to the indirect exclusion of older women from public spaces, thereby limiting their opportunities to engage in outdoor physical activity.