Because the opposite of encoxada isn’t just empty trains. It’s a public where every body is safe, seen, and believed. Have you experienced or witnessed encoxada? Sharing stories (anonymously) helps break the taboo. Leave a comment below or reach out to local transit safety groups in your city.
For most people, it’s just an inconvenience. But for millions of women and LGBTQ+ individuals in Latin America and beyond, that crowded space can become a silent trap. That trap has a name: . What is Encoxada? The word comes from the Catalan encorjar (to press) or the Spanish encoger (to shrink). In everyday slang, encoxada refers to the act of a person—almost always a man—pressing his genitals against a woman’s body without consent in a crowded public space, such as a bus, subway, or train. encoxada
If you’ve ever commuted on a packed subway train during rush hour, you know the feeling: the lack of personal space, the unavoidable jostling, and the strange intimacy of being pressed against strangers. Because the opposite of encoxada isn’t just empty trains
But here is what the dictionary won’t tell you: Encoxada is not an accident. It is not "the bus being too full." It is a deliberate, predatory act disguised by chaos. Sharing stories (anonymously) helps break the taboo
The next time you board a packed bus, take a second to look around. Notice who is standing with rigid arms, who is staring at the floor, who is trying to disappear. And ask yourself: Am I a bystander, or am I an ally?