With growing evidence linking Urban Green Spaces (UGS) exposure to health benefits, understanding their use and under-use has become increasingly important. Safety perception is frequently cited as a major factor influencing UGS attendance; however, this relationship is complex and remains a subject of debate, warranting further investigation. To explore this relationship, we conducted a narrative review examining how studies in this area have been conducted and their main findings. Using PsycINFO (Ovid) and Sociological Abstracts (ProQuest), we included 18 studies published between 2006 and 2022. This review provides a snapshot of the current state of research, revealing that the impact of safety perception on UGS attendance is more nuanced than it might initially appear. The complexity of this relationship, combined with significant challenges and gaps in UGS perception research - such as imprecise and inconsistent conceptualization and measurement of key variables - precludes drawing generalized conclusions. Consequently, broad, one-size-fits-all interventions targeting safety concerns are not to be recommended. Instead, these findings highlight the need for tailored, context-sensitive solutions that account for the specific factors shaping UGS use across different settings. High-quality research is still required to uncover the underlying mechanisms driving these relationships.