Possibility of immediate earnings is the main factor for women to opt for app-based work Photo: Carlos A. Moreno/ZUMA/IMAGO After being attacked and threatened with death by her ex-husband, Nany Cardoso decided to denounce him and ask for a divorce. Without a job and living comfortably at his brother's house with his three daughters, he rented a car to work as an app driver in Niterói (RJ). "In the beginning, I spent up to 17 hours working straight. I had to work twice as much to cover the car rental and still have money left over. Despite everything, it was what made my life better, it brought me income to take care of the children and support the house", he says. Cases like Cardoso's are repeated in Brazil. In 2024, 187,900 women were targets of domestic violence, according to data from the Brazilian Public Security Forum. Economic dependence is one of the factors that make it difficult for women to end these relationships: 61% of victims said they failed to report their partners because they were financially dependent on them. "Women have difficulty breaking away from aggression because they realize that they cannot survive alone. They depend on their husband's income and, when they realize that they need to support themselves, they need to look for a source of income", explains professor Noézia Ramos, from the Federal University of Uberlândia (UFU). Women earn 21% less than men in Brazil Income to stop violence When trying to enter the job market, these women are faced with other difficulties, such as high unemployment rates: 72.1% of men of working age are employed, compared to 53.1% of women, according to the World Labor Organization (ILO). Another problem is the imbalance in the distribution of domestic work. According to the ILO, 31.7% of women of working age do not look for work because they have to take care of children, relatives or the house. In the dynamics of domestic violence, 17.1% of women are prevented from working or studying by their husbands. With less education and experience, informal work becomes an alternative for those who cannot find a job. In this scenario, one of the options is app transportation. For Ramos, the platforms are “an alternative in a desperate scenario”. Lawyer Andrea Sampaio, who researched the category in her master's thesis at the Federal University of Rondônia (Unir), states that app-based work offers a quick opportunity to generate income and greater autonomy for women. "It's an activity that gives you security to choose whether or not to be in a relationship and that allows you to balance work and personal life." According to the Brazilian Center for Analysis and Planning (Cebrap), the average net monthly income of drivers varies from R$3,083 to R$4,400. Immediate gain and flexibility Working on transport applications in Porto Alegre (RS) was the solution to Julia Monteiro's difficulties. Three years ago, she was unemployed and was attacked by her ex-wife. "She punched me, pushed me down the stairs and tried to hang me. So this was an opportunity to leave the house, it was a relief not to suffer violence during the time I was working, and it also gave me a good financial return", says Monteiro. A 2025 survey by the consultancy Think Eva evaluated the profile of drivers. For 73% of those interviewed, the possibility of immediate earnings is the main factor for opting for this job. Another 37% said they earn more as a driver than in their previous job. Around 78% said that flexible scheduling is one of the main attractions. Driver Nany Cardoso only works at night to have time to spend with her daughters during the day. "I can take people to the doctor, participate in parties at school, something that the CLT job didn't allow me to do." She says "you can make good money if you work hard." In total, 103.3 thousand women currently work as app drivers in Brazil Photo: picture alliance / NurPhoto Cost of autonomy In total, 103.3 thousand women currently work as app drivers, according to data from Cebrap. The number is 62% higher than four years ago. Despite the growth, they represent only 6% of the country's 1.7 million drivers. Even though the activity allows you to achieve financial autonomy, experts point out that app-based work is marked by precariousness. "There is a feeling that they are working for themselves, but there is a lack of social protection in cases of accident or illness. There is also a lack of public policies and daycare centers. I have seen women working with their children in the car because they have nowhere to leave them," says Sampaio. A study by the ILO and UN Women carried out in Latin American countries, in addition to Portugal, Spain and Andorra, found that women earn, on average, 40% less than men on app transport platforms. For Noézia Ramos, part of this difference may be related to less time available to work. "If women face a triple shift, taking care of their children, the house and paid work, they end up driving less. Furthermore, prejudice against women driving can influence evaluations made by passengers", he states. The president of the Union of Drivers in Private Transport by Applications of Rio Grande do Sul (Simtrapli-RS), Carina Trindade, says that she decided to test the platforms. "In a circle with men and women, we all turned on the app together and most of the time, it played for them first. The value of the races for men was also higher." Asked about the matter, the Brazilian Mobility and Technology Association (Amobitec), which brings together representatives from platforms such as 99, Buser, Flixbus, Lalamove, Uber and Zé Delivery, reported that there is no type of differentiation in travel remuneration based on drivers' gender. "Changes in the price of trips are influenced by factors such as travel time and distance, category of trip chosen, levels of supply and demand for rides at a specific time and location, among others," he stated in a note. Harassment and insecurity More than economic issues, female drivers face challenges regarding insecurity behind the wheel. According to a survey by the GigU platform, 59% of drivers say they have been harassed, as have 97% of passengers. "That's pretty heavy. I need to talk rudely when guys are chatting to see if they understand," says Trindade. Cardoso was the target of a robbery. "At the end of the afternoon, when I disembarked a passenger and passed along a deserted street, a man who was on a motorcycle stopped my car, said he couldn't ride Uber there and pulled out my phone." Since 2020, companies have started to offer among the ride options those with women driving. "We never know if it's really a woman or a man. We accept, believing it to be a passenger, but they can call the race for themselves and put the drivers at risk. If they give up on the race, they may be blocked due to excessive cancellations", says Trindade. Uber and 99 are among the largest platforms in the country. The first says it runs educational campaigns with drivers to avoid inappropriate behavior. 99 claims that in the last two years it invested R$125 million in the development of safety tools, which resulted in a 33% drop in serious sexual incidents with women. Despite the difficulties, Cardoso says he will continue working as a driver. "I'm already 50 years old, entering the job market is more difficult. My dream now is to finish building my house."