Crime in São Paulo’s metro system: sexual crimes against women

Abstract

The article investigates personal safety conditions in the São Paulo metro, the largest rapid transit system in Brazil. The study looks at all types of crimes, but devotes special attention to the nature and spatio-temporal dynamics of sexual crimes against women while in transit. The methodology combines Geographical Information System and crime records with data collected using Google Street View and other secondary data into a set of regression models. Findings show that sexual violence is concentrated at the busiest central stations; it often takes place during the morning and afternoon rush hours, and at stations that also attract all sorts of violence and events of public disorder. The study finalises with an analysis of the metro’s current prevention practices targeting women’s sexual victimisation.

Appendices

Appendix 1: ‘O Metrô’—the São Paulo metro (65 stations)

Appendix 2: The database of study (selected variables)

Variable description	Source
Number of passengers between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.	Metro company
Number of passengers between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.	Metro company
Number of passengers between 10 p.m. and 12 p.m.	Metro company
Number of passengers in working day	Metro company
Number of employees working to support and maintain the station	Metro company
Number of station’s security employees	Metro company
Visibility from outdoors/indoors	Google Street View
Close to one or more public roads	Google Street View
Close to one or more bus stops	Google Street View
Close to one or more taxi stops	Google Street View
Close to one or more green areas (parks, woods)	Google Street View
Presence of any litter/any other physical deterioration outside	Google Street View
Presence of seats/benches outside	Google Street View
Presence of civil guards outside	Google Street View
Presence of police outside	Google Street View
Presence of bars, restaurants	Google Street View
Presence of shopping mall	Google Street View
Presence ATM/bank	Google Street View
Presence hiding corners/dark corners	Google Street View
Presence of large cross section/junctions	Google Street View
Cases of detected weapons in the streets	SSP
Total population in the area	GeoSampa
Total of population receiving minimum salary	GeoSampa
Total population in the area up to 5 years of elementary school	GeoSampa
Distance to the city centre	Meters
Distance to schools	kilometres