Work

The impact of media coverage of sexual violence on women’s work decisions in rural Bangladesh

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Perceived fear of sexual violence can negatively impact women’s labour supply decisions, especially in cultures that value female chastity and stigmatise victims. We show that a one-standard-deviation increase in media reports of subdistrict-level sexual assaults in rural Bangladesh is associated with a 3.8 to 4.3% decline in women’s paid employment. Women reduce self-employment activities in favour of unpaid labour, which has implications for their income, consumption, and autonomy. Evidence suggests that these results may be driven by an increase in fear of potential victimisation. Media reports of sexual assaults by alleged perpetrators holding positions of power (politicians and government officials) and groups drive the estimated association. The association is also higher for conservative households. Besides their labour supply, females also respond by taking more safety precautions.

Source: Journal of Population Economics

DOI: 10.1007/s00148-026-01166-y

Authors: Adnan M. S. Fakir, Tushar Bharati, Ashraf S. Khan

Institutions: University of Sussex, The University of Western Australia, Dalhousie University

Language: English

Topic: Gender, Labor, and Family Dynamics

Subfield: Gender Studies

Field: Social Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDGs: Gender equality, Decent work and economic growth, Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Reduced inequalities, No poverty

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,190