2018's Most Dangerous Countries for Women Are In, And Where the U.S. Ranks Is Terrifying

The United States has been ranked as the 10th most dangerous country in the world for women — the only western democracy in the top ten.

The survey was administered by the Thomas Reuters Foundation to approximately 550 experts on women’s issues across the world. India came in first, “due to the high risk of sexual violence and being forced into slave labor,” according to Reuters. Afghanistan and Syria came in second and third, followed by Somalia and Saudi Arabia.

The United States actually tied for third with Syria when the experts were asked which nations women were most at risk for sexual violence, harassment and being coerced into sex. The report highlighted the MeToo and Time’s Up movements as key reasons for the United States’ spot on the list.

"People want to think income means you’re protected from misogyny, and sadly that’s not the case,” Executive Vice President of the Washington-based National Network to End Domestic Violence, Cindy Southworth, told Reuters.

"We are going to look back and see this as a very powerful tipping point ... We’re blowing the lid off and saying ‘#Metoo and Time’s Up,’” she continued.

Just last week, the United States was declared the most unequal country in the developed world, according to a UN report that cited the nation’s 40 million people living in poverty Pakistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Yemen, and Nigeria all also made the list of the 10 most dangerous countries for women. The experts said India taking the top spot shows that the country is not working hard enough to eliminate the dangers its women face.

"India has shown utter disregard and disrespect for women,” Manjunath Gangadhara, an official at the Karnataka state government, told Reuters. “Rape, marital rapes, sexual assault and harassment, female infanticide has gone unabated.”

The surveys were conducted online, over the phone, and in person. Respondents included aid professionals, academics, healthcare staff, non-government organization workers, policy-makers, development specialists and social commentators. Respondents came from all over the world, including Europe, Africa, the Americas, South East Asia, South Asia, and the Pacific, according to Reuters.

The survey was a repeat of one from 2011. The 2011 survey found Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Pakistan, India, and Somalia as the most dangerous countries for women.