Urban public transit systems are inherently vulnerable to crowded conditions, particularly during peak rush hours. Perpetrators often exploit these densely packed environments to commit non-consenting physical contact, counting on the chaos of the crowd to mask their actions or avoid confrontation.
Campaigns are increasingly utilizing digital platforms to educate passengers on their rights and what constitutes encoxada .
Following legislation passed late in 2025, crimes against sexual dignity, which include sexual assault (Article 215-A of the Penal Code: Sexual Importuning), now see much stricter sentencing. For incidents involving vulnerable groups (such as minors), penalties can reach up to 40 years of imprisonment. 2. Doubled Fines in Rio de Janeiro encoxada in bus updated
Data from the Conselho Nacional de Justiça (CNJ) highlights the severity of the issue, with an average of 54 new cases of importunação sexual being reported to the courts daily as of early 2026, totaling over 19,000 new cases in 2025.
: Experts often recommend drawing attention to the behavior by speaking loudly or screaming to alert other passengers and the driver. Report the Incident Urban public transit systems are inherently vulnerable to
[Harassment Incident] │ ▼ [Passenger Reports via App / WhatsApp] │ ▼ [CCU Tracking & Real-Time GPS Location] │ ▼ [Security / Police Intercept at Next Stop] Real-Time Digital Reporting
Provide a breakdown of the in your specific region. Following legislation passed late in 2025, crimes against
However, every update reveals a new adaptation. As of May 2026, the newest concern is the "post-encoxada" – perpetrators following victims off the bus to intimidate them from filing digital reports.
If you commute by bus or metro in Spain or Latin America, you may have heard the word encoxada . Literally translated from Catalan and Spanish, it means "a pressing" or "a squeeze." Historically, it was used to describe the act of being crushed against others due to overcrowding.