Sorting on Observables and Conflict: How Does Gender Segregation in
Mexico City’s Subway System Affect Violence?

 Arturo Aguilar                                      Emilio Gutiérrez
Department of Economics, ITAM           Department of Economics, ITAM

 Abstract

Researchers have devoted their attention into understanding how segregation might be related to a variety of measures of conflict. This paper contributes to this literature by evaluating the impact of a program implemented in Mexico City, which segregates men from women in the public transportation system. Gender segregated trains operate in Mexico City’s subway during workdays between 6:00-10:00 and 14:00-22:30. This sharp time-change in gender segregation provides the basis for a regression discontinuity design. Using survey data, we find that while sexual violence towards women is reduced, physical violence significantly increases among both men and women when segregation is effectively enforced. Finally, using information about willingness to pay, we provide evidence suggesting that subway users value both the lack of sexual and physical violence, suggesting that programs of this kind could be welfare decreasing.