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Demand for “Safe Space”: Avoiding harassment and complying with norms

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  • Kondylis, Florence
  • Legovini, Arianna
  • Vyborny, Kate
  • Zwager, Astrid
  • Andrade, Luiza

Abstract

We crowdsource information on ≈22,000 train rides undertaken by 363 women commuters in Rio de Janeiro to study sexual harassment in the public space and its effects on demand for a women-reserved space. Women traveling in the public space experience harassment on average once a week; randomly tasking them to ride in the reserved space reduces harassment by 50%. A revealed preference exercise shows that demand for the reserved space is heterogeneous, with top-tercile users making up 80% of the demand. These users experience half of the harassment in our sample. Data on commuters’ attitudes and use of the reserved space show perceptions of norms around the reserved space may limit women’s agency. Over half of men and women commuters associate women in the public space with more sexual openness and women who perceive this attitude to be the prevailing norm are 79% more likely to report using the reserved space.

Suggested Citation

  • Kondylis, Florence & Legovini, Arianna & Vyborny, Kate & Zwager, Astrid & Andrade, Luiza, 2025. "Demand for “Safe Space”: Avoiding harassment and complying with norms," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:deveco:v:174:y:2025:i:c:s030438782400141x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jdeveco.2024.103392
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    6. De Hoop, Jacobus Joost & Tribin Uribe, Ana Maria & Velásquez, Andrea, 2026. "The Hidden Costs of Violence : How Crime Shapes Women’s Labor Market Outcomes in Latin America," Policy Research Working Paper Series 11294, The World Bank.
    7. Christensen, Peter & Osman, Adam, 2021. "The Demand for Mobility: Evidence from an Experiment with Uber Riders," IZA Discussion Papers 14179, IZA Network @ LISER.
    8. Zahra Siddique, 2022. "Media-Reported Violence and Female Labor Supply," Economic Development and Cultural Change, University of Chicago Press, vol. 70(4), pages 1337-1365.
    9. Seema Jayachandran, 2021. "Social Norms as a Barrier to Women’s Employment in Developing Countries," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 69(3), pages 576-595, September.
    10. Shoaib, Amna, 2025. "Addressing women's mobility challenges in the public transportation system of Lahore, Pakistan," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    11. Poblete-Cazenave, Rubén & V., Claudia Martínez, 2025. "Holi crimes: The impact of a public festivity on violence against women," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 177(C).

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