The Silent Epidemic: Can Women in Office Tackle Gender-Based Violence?

The Silent Epidemic: Can Women in Office Tackle Gender-Based Violence?

Chiara Santantonio (University of Bath) 

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ABSTRACT:

In the United States, one in five women report having been raped, yet gender-based violence remains a silent epidemic. Research from developing countries suggests that female political representation may influence both the awareness and reporting of such violence. Using FBI data and a regression discontinuity design on mixed-gender races, we find that electing a female House Representative leads to an increase in recorded rapes within her district, which we attribute to increased reporting. Female legislators are more likely to address gender violence in Congress, raising awareness and encouraging survivors to come forward, effectively challenging the silence around gender-based violence. 

BIO:

Chiara Santantonio is a Lecturer in the Department of Economics at the University of Bath and previously held a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at LUISS University in Rome. She earned her PhD in Economics from the European University Institute in Florence. Her research interests centre on Applied Microeconomics, with particular emphasis on Political Economy and Gender Economics. Other research interests include health and crime.