The Hidden Costs of Violence: How Crime Shapes Women’s Labor Market Outcomes in Latin America

Jacobus Joost De Hoop, Ana Maria Tribin Uribe and Andrea Velásquez

No 11294, Policy Research Working Paper Series from The World Bank

Abstract: This study explores the gendered impacts of violent crime on economic opportunities in Latin America and the Caribbean. While both men and women experience violent crime, their exposure to violent crime and the consequences they suffer differ. Women are disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence, sexual harassment, and mobility restrictions, all of which limit their labor market participation and economic independence. Through a review of the literature, the study identifies six primary mechanisms through which violent crime affects women’s economic outcomes: sectoral segregation, fear of victimization, mobility constraints, intra-household bargaining power shifts, increased intimate partner violence, and disruptions to human capital accumulation. By analyzing these gendered dimensions, the study highlights how violent crime may contribute to inequality and restrict women’s access to economic opportunities. Policy responses must go beyond general crime reduction strategies and incorporate gender-sensitive interventions, including stronger legal protections, labor market reforms, and investments in childcare and financial inclusion. Addressing violent crime from a gendered perspective is essential for fostering economic resilience and reducing inequalities in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Date: 2026-01-12
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