A new survey released on Monday has found that Delhi is considered the world’s worst megacity because of the sexual violence women face. India’s Capital shares the tag with Sao Paulo in Brazil, according to a poll of 19 megacities conducted by the Thomson Reuters Foundation.
“I’m not surprised by the results as they’re based on perceptions,” Rebecca Reichmann Tavares, the head of the United Nations Women in India who also worked in Brazil, told the foundation. “India and Brazil have seen a lot of media attention on sexual violence in recent years. Sexual violence in both these cities is, of course, a reality, but there isn’t any definitive data to suggest that rates are higher in Delhi and Sao Paulo than any other city.”
In 2016, there were 2,155 rapes recorded in Delhi, which is a 67% rise in such cases since 2012, the report said, citing police data. In Sao Paulo, there have been 2,287 rapes till July this year compared to 2,868 in 2016.
For the survey, 380 experts in cities with populations of more than 10 million were asked to assess the risk of sexual violence and cultural practices harmful to women. They were also asked to rate the cities on the basis of women’s access to healthcare and economic opportunities.
Egypt’s capital Cairo was ranked the most dangerous city for women overall and the third worst for sexual violence. Mexico City and Dhaka came in second and third overall.
Tokyo is considered the safest city for women in terms of sexual violence.
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