Female Political Representation and Violence against Women: Evidence from Brazil

Arbeitspapier

This paper studies the effect of female political representation on violence against women. Using a Regression Discontinuity design for close mayoral elections between female and male candidates in Brazil, we find that electing female mayors leads to a reduction in episodes of gender violence. The effect is particularly strong when focusing on incidents of domestic violence, when the aggressor is the ex-husband/boyfriend, and when victims experienced sexual violence. The evidence suggests that female mayors might implement different policies from male mayors and therefore contribute to reduce gender violence.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 15365

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior ; Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination ; Capitalist Systems: Political Economy ; Health: Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health ; State and Local Government: Health; Education; Welfare; Public Pensions ; Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
• Subject: gender ; political economy ; elections ; violence

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Delaporte, Magdalena ; Pino, Francisco J.
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2022

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/263581
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:41 AM CET