Women, Violence and Work: Threat of Sexual Violence and Women's Decision to Work

Tanika Chakraborty and Nafisa Lohawala

Review of Development Economics, 2026, vol. 30, issue 1, 182-210

Abstract: We investigate the extent to which the low workforce participation of women in India can be explained by growing instances of officially reported crimes against women. We employ a fixed‐effects strategy using district‐level panel data between 2004 and 2012. To address additional concerns of endogeneity, we conduct a wide range of sensitivity checks, including instrumental variable and border analysis using state‐level regulations on alcohol sales and consumption. Our baseline findings are robust across all specifications. Our most conservative estimates suggest that for every additional sexual crime in a district, approximately 32 women are deterred from joining the workforce.

Date: 2026
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