Gendered responsibilisation in the night-time economy

![CDATA[Young women engaging in the night-time economy (NTE) are said to be targets of a process of neoliberal ‘responsibilisation’ that places the onus on young women to ensure ‘self- protection’ from any potential ‘risks’. This gendered regulation is underpinned by neoliberalism and has implications for fear of crime and precautionary strategies, as well as young women’s engagement with the NTE. This study, which is based on a research project undertaken in 2015 that involved 10 in-depth, semi-structured interviews with young female revellers from Sydney, examines the highly gendered nature of regulation and responsibilisation in the NTE, with a focus on the role it plays in shaping the lived experience of these spaces for young women. In particular, this paper explores the contradictory dualism of ‘fun’ and ‘regulation’ that often governs young women’s experience of nightlife settings as well as their perceptions and decisions relating to risk-taking while participating in the NTE. The behaviour of young women who participated in this project suggests a gendered embodiment of ‘responsible’ engagement. Indeed, it is argued that the highly gendered responsibilisation process outlined in this paper often curtails women’s ability to fully engage and enjoy the NTE in the same way that their male counterparts do. This project is particularly important as research shows that victim-blaming discourses specifically target women, making them accountable for their own victimisation when participating in public spaces and creating feelings of ‘guilt’ when they ‘risk’ or ‘fail’ to self-protect.]]