One victim, interviewed by El País in November 2021, said: "I used to love the independence of taking the bus. After the encoxada in March, I now take three different Uber rides to work. It’s bankrupting me, but I can't feel someone's belt buckle on my back again."
Statistics reveal the magnitude of the problem. According to a 2021 survey presented by the Curitiba City Council, . Another study detailed by the Agência Patrícia Galvão found that a staggering 97% of Brazilian women over the age of 18 have already suffered some form of sexual harassment on public transport . More specifically, research focused on buses indicates that 35% of women have already been "encoxada" on this mode of transport, and 33% have received unwanted advances or comments.
The specific search term frequently traces back to amateur videos recorded by passengers and shared on platforms like TikTok, Twitter, and WhatsApp. These videos documented extreme crowding or caught individuals intentionally taking advantage of the packed spaces to harass others. encoxada bus 2021
A critical element of the discussion in 2021 was the legal framework used to address these actions. What was once historically dismissed by some as "transit friction" is recognized under Brazilian law as a serious offense.
In Brazilian Portuguese, an encoxada describes a physical act where one person rubs or presses their pelvic region against another person’s buttocks or body. In everyday Brazilian life, this concept splits into two very distinct categories: One victim, interviewed by El País in November
: A Portuguese colloquialism derived from the verb encoxar . While it can be used casually to describe being packed like sardines in a tight space, it also carries a heavy connotation related to non-consensual physical contact or frotteurism in public spaces.
The benefits of sustainable bus transportation, as potentially offered by the Encruzilhada bus, are numerous: According to a 2021 survey presented by the
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This statement backfired spectacularly. Feminist collectives in 2021 began a campaign called "El Bus es Nuestro, No Tu Zona de Roce" (The Bus is Ours, Not Your Rubbing Zone), leading to mass protests at major bus terminals in Medellín, Buenos Aires, and Quito. The protests, often held during rush hour, effectively shut down transit for several days in October 2021.
Several cities around the world have already adopted the Encoxada Bus 2021 as part of their public transportation systems. Some of the notable cities include:
Street harassment was not a new phenomenon in 2021. So why did the "encoxada bus 2021" case explode?