India ‘Most Dangerous’ Country for Women, US at Third Spot: Survey

New Delhi: India has been ranked as the world’s most dangerous country for women, worse than war-torn Afghanistan and Syria, due to the high risk of sexual violence and being forced into slave labour, a survey of global experts by the Thomson Reuters Foundation survey has revealed.

The only western nation to figure in the poll of 550 experts is the United States, which ranked joint third when respondents were asked where women were most at risk of sexual violence, harassment and being coerced into sex, Reuters said.

The poll was reportedly a repeat of a survey in 2011 wherein experts saw Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, India and Somalia as the most dangerous nations for women.

This year, experts saw India’s rise up the notorious ranks as a sign that not enough is being done to keep women safe, six years after the nation erupted in anger over the brutal rape and murder of a physiotherapist in Delhi.

"India has shown utter disregard and disrespect for women ... rape, marital rapes, sexual assault and harassment, female infanticide has gone unabated," the report quoted Manjunath Gangadhara, a Karnataka government official, as saying. "The (world's) fastest growing economy and leader in space and technology is shamed for violence committed against women."

As per government data, crime against women in the country went up by 83% between 2007 and 2016, with four cases reported each hour.

According to a Reuters report, the survey asked respondents which five of the 193 United Nations member states they thought were most dangerous for women and which country was worst in terms of healthcare, economic resources, cultural or traditional practices, sexual violence and harassment, non-sexual violence and human trafficking.

Respondents also ranked India the most dangerous country for women in terms of human trafficking, including sex slavery and domestic servitude, and for customary practices such as forced marriage, stoning and female infanticide, the report said.

The Ministry of Women and Child Development declined to comment on the survey results, Reuters said.