Skewed Sex Ratios and Criminal Victimization in India

Scott South (), Katherine Trent () and Sunita Bose ()

Demography, 2014, vol. 51, issue 3, 1019-1040

Abstract: Although substantial research has explored the causes of India’s excessively masculine population sex ratio, few studies have examined the consequences of this surplus of males. We merge individual-level data from the 2004–2005 India Human Development Survey with data from the 2001 India population census to examine the association between the district-level male-to-female sex ratio at ages 15 to 39 and self-reports of victimization by theft, breaking and entering, and assault. Multilevel logistic regression analyses reveal positive and statistically significant albeit substantively modest effects of the district-level sex ratio on all three victimization risks. We also find that higher male-to-female sex ratios are associated with the perception that young unmarried women in the local community are frequently harassed. Household-level indicators of family structure, socioeconomic status, and caste, as well as areal indicators of women’s empowerment and collective efficacy, also emerge as significant predictors of self-reported criminal victimization and the perceived harassment of young women. The implications of these findings for India’s growing sex ratio imbalance are discussed. Copyright Population Association of America 2014

Keywords: Sex ratio; India; Crime; Victimization; Sexual harassment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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DOI: 10.1007/s13524-014-0289-6

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