As Colombia observed the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, Bogota’s District Inspector General’s Office released a report that once again highlighted a troubling and persistent reality: Sexual harassment in public spaces is worsening. The findings immediately raised alarms among local authorities, who warned that the surge in reported incidents reflects a broader national crisis affecting millions of women and girls.
A disturbing reality exposed during the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
According to official survey data, more than 1,500 women in Bogota reported experiencing street harassment in the last year. Experts caution that the number is likely far higher, as many victims remain silent due to stigma, fear of retaliation, or the normalization of harassment as part of daily city life.
Adriana Herrera Beltran, Bogota’s District Ombudsperson, emphasized in comments cited by El Espectador that “the numbers show that girls, teenagers, and adult women remain the main victims.”
Yet harassment is just one layer of a larger pattern. In 2025, Colombia registered a 22% increase in domestic violence cases against women and an 8% rise in injury-related assaults, reinforcing concerns that gender-based violence is deepening across the country.
Escalating trends: National data shows growing violence against women, a backdrop to rising street harassment in 2025
The rise in street harassment in Bogota is occurring alongside a worrying national trend of increasing violence against women. According to the Colombian National Institute of Health, by mid-2024 the country recorded 66,621 cases of gender-based violence, and 75.6% — around 50,374 cases — affected women. These figures reveal how deeply gender inequality shapes patterns of aggression in Colombia.
Data from the Colombian Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences adds further context. By September 2024, authorities registered 16,797 medico-legal examinations for suspected sexual crimes, and 88% of the victims were women. Meanwhile, intrafamily violence remained one of the most common forms of aggression, with 47,757 cases in 2024, the majority of them involving female victims.
Young girls and adolescents are particularly vulnerable. The Colombian Child Welfare Institute (ICBF) reports that between 2019 and 2025 it opened over 137,000 protection processes, and more than 111,000 involved girls and young women. Sexual violence remains the leading cause for these interventions.
These patterns illustrate that street harassment — often dismissed as a “minor” issue — fits within a broader landscape of escalating violence. The 2025 spike in harassment reports in Bogota is not an anomaly but a symptom of a nationwide crisis.
Understanding street harassment: Common forms and why it persists
Street harassment in Bogota manifests in ways that range from verbal to physical. Unwanted sexual comments, persistent staring, and sexually explicit gestures are among the most commonly reported behaviors. Women also frequently experience being followed by strangers, touched or groped in crowded spaces such as buses and TransMilenio stations — Bogota’s main bus rapid transit system — and recorded without consent. In some cases, groups of men intentionally block women’s paths or intimidate them, creating environments where women feel unsafe even in broad daylight.
What allows this behavior to persist is a cultural environment where ‘machismo’ remains deeply woven into social norms. Studies by the Ministry of Equality and academic institutions reveal that many men still view catcalling or unsolicited comments as harmless or even flattering, demonstrating a profound misunderstanding of consent and respect. This mindset normalizes harassment and discourages victims from reporting what they endure in public spaces.
The result is a pronounced gender gap in victimization. While people of different genders share the streets, they experience them very differently. Women are disproportionately targeted because of long-standing expectations about appearance, behavior, and vulnerability, combined with social pressures that tell them to “ignore” harassment rather than denounce it. Fear of retaliation, disbelief, and institutional barriers further silence complaints.
Government and city efforts: policies, prevention, and institutional oversight
Despite the challenges, both the Colombian government and Bogota’s administration have taken steps to confront gender-based violence and prevent harassment. One of Bogota’s most visible initiatives is the “Bogota Sin Acoso” (Bogota Without Harassment) strategy, which uses public campaigns, workshops, and community training to reshape attitudes around harassment and empower women to report incidents.
The city has also strengthened security measures within TransMilenio, implementing gender-sensitive training for staff, emergency buttons in stations, expanded surveillance, and specialized patrols designed to respond directly to harassment cases. These efforts aim to transform public transportation — which has long been a hotspot for harassment — into a safer environment.
Additionally, Bogota has expanded the network of Purple Zones, safe spaces where women can seek immediate assistance, psychological support, and guidance on filing complaints. These zones are staffed by trained professionals and operate in high-traffic areas, including parks, major plazas, and transportation terminals.
At the national level, Colombia continues to rely on Law 1257 of 2008, a landmark piece of legislation that outlines mechanisms for prevention, protection, and punishment for gender-based violence. In recent years, the government has also strengthened coordination between the National Police, the Attorney General’s Office, and local gender justice programs to improve follow-up on cases.
Institutional oversight has become increasingly robust. Bogota’s District Ombudsperson publishes regular risk maps, monitors complaint systems, and evaluates how public institutions respond to victims. Still, activists argue that while policy frameworks exist, gaps in enforcement and judicial effectiveness remain significant obstacles to meaningful progress.
The broader landscape: Why the gender gap persists
The ongoing disparity between male and female individuals in experiences of harassment and violence is not accidental, it is rooted in structural inequality. Women in Colombia face persistent disadvantages in areas such as economic independence, political participation, and access to justice. These conditions limit women’s ability to escape abusive environments, challenge aggression, or seek help.
Moreover, gender norms continue to dictate how women should behave, dress, or move in public spaces. Many women alter daily routines — choosing different routes, avoiding public transport at night, or traveling in groups — to minimize the risk of harassment. Such adaptations reflect the unequal burden placed on women to protect themselves rather than on society to protect them.
Economic factors also play a role. Women are more likely to depend on public transportation, where harassment is common, and more likely to live in neighborhoods with limited security infrastructure. Combined with inadequate institutional responses, the result is an environment where aggression too often goes unchecked.
Still, Colombia is witnessing a growing cultural shift. Advocacy groups, journalists, and women’s movements are helping bring these issues out of the shadows, demanding accountability and pushing for safer, more equitable public spaces. As Bogota’s latest report shows, the fight against street harassment is ongoing. But the growing visibility of the problem, and the increasing pressure for action, represents a crucial step toward building a city and a country where women can move freely and safely.