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Safe spaces for children: School sanitation and sexual violence

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  • Gao, Pei
  • Kothari, Aditi
  • Lei, Yu-Hsiang

Abstract

This paper demonstrates the gendered impact of inadequate school sanitation, highlighting its link to sexual violence against children. Using panel analysis and a triple-difference strategy with district-year data, we find that constructing sex-specific toilets in schools significantly reduces child rapes, while having no effect on other sexual crimes (e.g., adult rape). The reduction is more pronounced in co-educational and secondary schools. Conversely, unisex toilets are ineffective, because girls feel unsafe to use them and continue defecating openly. Additionally, the deterrent effect of school sanitation is stronger in areas with more gender-equal norms, emphasizing the need for broad, culture-based preventive measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Gao, Pei & Kothari, Aditi & Lei, Yu-Hsiang, 2025. "Safe spaces for children: School sanitation and sexual violence," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:eecrev:v:172:y:2025:i:c:s0014292125000030
    DOI: 10.1016/j.euroecorev.2025.104952
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Sexual violence; School Sanitation; Gender;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • H75 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Government: Health, Education, and Welfare
    • K40 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - General
    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East

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