Help-seeking after gender-based violence: The role of local female political representation

Using data from Italy’s largest network of anti-violence centers (AVCs), this study investigates whether increased female representation in local politics affects women’s access to formal support services after experiencing gender-based violence. We focus on access to AVCs, as it represents a concrete step and a potential turning point toward escaping violence–distinct from more informal or exploratory forms of help-seeking. Exploiting staggered elections and the introduction of gender quotas as a natural experiment, we adopt a shift-share instrumental variable strategy to address endogeneity. We find that greater female political representation significantly increases the likelihood that women–especially those who are younger or unemployed–take this first step by seeking support from AVCs. The effect is concentrated among first-time users and in municipalities closer to an AVC. These findings are not driven by increased violence or changes in AVC funding.