Mapping Sexual Harassment in Public Places: Open-Source Data-Driven Contextual Analysis

Womens’ and girls’ safety in public places is undermined by sexual harassment, yet the environmental correlates of risk remain poorly understood. Using the environmental criminology framework, this mixed-method research aims to map and analyze reported incidents of sexual harassment in Delhi, India. Spatial and descriptive analyses revealed high concentrations and patterns of significant situational factors associated with both physical and nonphysical sexual harassment incidents. Field observations of these hotspot locations provided valuable insights into the social environment and dynamics that contribute to sexual harassment. The findings have implications for place-based situational prevention strategies to address sexual harassment incidents worldwide.