Personal Space: The Foundation of Individual Freedom

Personal space is not just a physical area but a fundamental element in forming a unique personality and a sense of self-worth. It helps every person feel their individuality, earn trust and respect, and defend against unwanted interference. Restrictions and constant surveillance create an atmosphere in which a person is deprived of the opportunity to be themselves, ultimately putting their personality at risk. This is especially noticeable in raising children, for whom proper respect for their personal space plays a key role in the processes of maturing and self-determination. Moreover, excessive limitations on interactions and the exchange of information—whether through bans on personal communication or restricted access to knowledge—can lead to feelings of isolation and depression, thus undermining not only moral but also legal bases of society. In this way, respecting each individual's personal territory becomes the key to preserving emotional and psychological freedom, creating conditions for harmonious development and a sense of security in everyday life.

What is the significance of personal space and in which cases is intervention in it considered unacceptable?

Personal space is crucial for forming individuality, maintaining dignity, and developing a sense of independence. It allows a person to experience their uniqueness, trust, and receive respect from those around them, while also serving as protection against intrusive gazes and unwarranted interference. For example, as noted in one source, violating someone’s privacy is essentially a declaration of a lack of trust and respect toward that person, turning the victim of such violation into a “non-person.” This is particularly evident with children, for whom privacy is an important component of growing up and asserting their individuality. (Source: link )

Interference in personal space is deemed unacceptable when it infringes on a person’s fundamental rights and undermines their sense of self-worth. This primarily applies to situations where interference affects one’s personal life, restricts the opportunity for solitude, domestic comfort, and freedom of self-determination. For instance, constant control or monitoring—especially within the family environment—is perceived as a humiliating infringement on freedom, when the home should be a place of safety and liberty. (Source: link )

Similarly, excessive measures that limit personal communication, such as bans on correspondence, meetings with relatives, or access to books, can be seen as disproportionate punishment and a violation of human rights. These measures deprive individuals of the opportunity to cultivate their personal sphere, leading to feelings of coercion and despondency. (Source: link )

Thus, personal space is an integral part of human life, ensuring the formation of individuality and the maintenance of dignity. Intervention in personal space becomes unacceptable when it prevents a person from being themselves, from self-determining, and from feeling free and secure, thereby breaching both moral and legal standards.

Supporting citation(s):
"When we violate someone's privacy, we are declaring a lack of trust and respect toward that person, turning the victim of our insult into a 'non-person.' We can likely influence the moral standards of our children when they know that we respect their individuality." (Source: link )

"Limited solitude under constant surveillance, especially noticeable in cases of juvenile justice when family life is under control, is perceived as a humiliating infringement on a person’s freedom and dignity. The sense of home as a territory of liberty—where one feels most free and arranges things according to personal discretion—is disrupted by external interference." (Source: link )

"Questions regarding the acceptable level of interference in personal space are sometimes raised with consideration of the effectiveness and humanity of such measures. Bans on communication via correspondence, meetings with relatives, or access to books, for example, are seen as excessive punishments that provoke outrage among human rights defenders." (Source: link )