Skewed Sex Ratios and Criminal Victimization in India

Abstract

Although substantial research has explored the causes of India’s excessively masculine population sex ratio, few studies have examined the consequences of this surplus of males. We merge individual-level data from the 2004–2005 India Human Development Survey with data from the 2001 India population census to examine the association between the district-level male-to-female sex ratio at ages 15 to 39 and self-reports of victimization by theft, breaking and entering, and assault. Multilevel logistic regression analyses reveal positive and statistically significant albeit substantively modest effects of the district-level sex ratio on all three victimization risks. We also find that higher male-to-female sex ratios are associated with the perception that young unmarried women in the local community are frequently harassed. Household-level indicators of family structure, socioeconomic status, and caste, as well as areal indicators of women’s empowerment and collective efficacy, also emerge as significant predictors of self-reported criminal victimization and the perceived harassment of young women. The implications of these findings for India’s growing sex ratio imbalance are discussed.

Crime Against Women in India: Unveiling Spatial Patterns and Temporal Trends of Dowry Deaths in the Districts of Uttar Pradesh

“…(). Other covariates derived from a low sex ratio might also be explored such as the ratio of unmarried males, under the ‘supply‐of‐offenders’ hypothesis (South et al ., ), the female migration rate (Khan, ) or figures on female dry thermal burn death as seen in Pandey et al . ().…”

“…However, it is unclear which socio-economic indicators or some other covariates may be associated with dowry deaths. South et al (2014) found a surplus of male offenders correlated with gender violence. In the same way, and according to Mukherjee et al (2001), overall crime is expected to be associated with crimes against women.…”

“…South et al . () found a surplus of male offenders correlated with gender violence. In the same way, and according to Mukherjee et al .…”

“…South et al . (), Barakade () and More et al . () also hypothesize a negative relationship between sex ratio with dowry extortion and violence against women.…”

“…This hypergamy, as anthropologists name it, might be considered either as a cause or a consequence of an even more restrictive marriage system. Some economists would speak of that in terms of 'marriage squeeze', as the main cause for dowry inflation, subsequent extortion, violence against young married women and deaths (Dang et al, 2018;South et al, 2014). Inflation can be also related to dowry dynamics tending to what some researchers have called the groom price, meaning that when desirable eligible men are scarce the competition between brides becomes fierce (Bloch and Rao, 2002).…”