Strategizing Safety for Women in the Gig Economy: A Scoping Review of Policy Research

This scoping review has been conducted by performing an advanced search of online databases, including Web of Science, Scopus, and APA PsycInfo, to identify articles pertaining to the safety of female gig workers. PRISMA approach for scoping review (PRISMA-ScR) was employed to assess the scope of relevant literature and synthesize the prevalent safety concerns and strategies adopted by various stakeholder to mitigate that concern. A narrative and tabular synthesis approach was used to describe the collected data. A total of 482 studies were identified and retrieved from the databases. Sixteen studies were eligible for inclusion in this review. Abusive behavior in the workplace, fear of nighttime operations, working on digital platforms, customer anonymity, and lack of client verification were identified as the prominent safety concerns. The findings include lack of formal structures for addressing harassment against female gig workers, apart from scant informal strategies. Several barriers pose safety concerns for female gig workers, thereby hampering their participation in the workforce. An altered approach to the existing legal and policy framework will ensure the safety of female gig workers from sexual harassment at the workplace.