Violence against women has been a pervasive part of global society for thousands of years.
Because of this, knowing where is and isn’t safe for women to live is an important factor to consider when moving home.
In an effort to shed some light on where the safest places for women are, we analyzed FBI data to establish a unique ranking that identifies the safest and most dangerous cities in America for women to live in.
???? Discover the safest cities for women in the USA.
???? Discover the most dangerous cities for women in the USA.
Why We Think It’s Important
As home security providers, we are passionate advocates for everyone’s safety. We’ve learnt a lot from our users, and it’s clear that not everyone’s security needs are exactly the same—not least of all the needs of women.
In Their Own Words: Women on their Safety Concerns When Choosing Somewhere to Live
We asked friends and family of the AlfredCamera team what came to mind when they were looking for somewhere new to live.
We’re a global team, so opinions came from Europe, America, and Asia. The initial response was almost unanimous—choosing somewhere to live is a complicated process defined by money.
‘Money is always a concern.’
The cost of property, whether buying or renting, has a relationship with a host of factors: crime rates, poverty rates, school catchment areas, transport links, and a place’s reputation, to name a few.
When money is something a person has to consider, the ‘choice’ to live somewhere safe becomes narrower and narrower.
‘Never, ever, ever all male.’
Another opinion shared by everyone was about the presence of men—there was a resounding ‘no’ to the prospect of living in an all-male household.
The desire for the presence of young families, good transport links, and adequate public lighting was linked to the presence of men causing feelings of anxiety and fear, particularly at night time.
Some of the women we chatted to said they would check crime statistics before moving, singling out rape stats as the most important.
One person said that they checked crime stats before moving to San José, Costa Rica from South London, UK. They compared the statistics to ‘see if [they] could handle it.’
Much like transport links, having shops nearby was another important factor, with one person saying that a corner shop would have to be within at least a three minute walk for them to even consider moving into a property.
The importance of community and culture in the area was raised by some women.
What’s clear is that, across the board, safety was the chief concern before all others. The desire for safety was linked to the fear of crime committed by men.
One person ranked safety first, transport second, and food third in terms of how she would prioritize her needs when moving.
A Word from Our Users: Their Stories
We believe that dialogue about safety issues with our users is important because it helps us to better understand the specific needs of different groups of people.
Some of our users that identify as women have graciously shared some stories about living in domestic violence shelters, which you can check out below.
‘I was living in a domestic violence shelter, with my service dog and child last summer. I noticed things of mine were going missing. Headphones, tablet, cell phone and money. Spare change essentially. I had used Alfred in the past to watch over my pet if he were home alone or when my child was napping. I set Alfred up in a front pocket of a flannel shirt. It was hanging in the closet but had a perfect view of my nightstand and dresser. I put some cash in my top drawer and mentioned I hope it doesn’t go missing… I left for a walk. Within a few minutes I caught the thief on film and alerted the main office. I hate thieves, especially when you are all alone and scared in an unfamiliar place. I fled my abuser and had almost nothing just like all the other women there. Horrible person who steals. She was told she had to leave, and from then on there was not another problem.’
‘Well, I’m a single mother of two toddlers. I’m currently living in a domestic violence shelter for men and women. It’s already difficult to be a single mother in a regular home, but to be one who can’t take herself away from her kids makes it even more stressful. I’m a severe insomniac and a cigarette smoker that ain’t trying to drag her children outside just to smoke a cigarette every couple hours. So I set up the phone I upgraded from to be my night time nanny cam. Now I can peacefully get some mommy minutes at night while still being able to see if they wake up crying, then I can sooth them through the camera as I’m walking back inside and up three flights of stairs to get to him/her to help them back to sleep. Thank you so much Alfred cam. You’re a lifesaver in this very hard time in my life.’
If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence or other forms of abuse, you can access various helpful resources at NCADV.