Singapore and New Zealand have tied as the safest places for women in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a survey that ranked Hong Kong sixth place, South China Morning Post reported.
Conducted by consumer advice group Value Champion, the survey analysed 14 countries and regions, drawing from a number of sources to define each country’s ranking in terms of safety, health and opportunities, weighted in that order.
The issue of safety took into consideration the legal protections and quality of life each country provides. Health care rankings used medical access in the country and the freedom of family planning choices for women. Opportunity examined education and employment for women.
“With the rise of the global #MeToo movement and female-led protests against sexual assault, the reality about the day-to-day quality of life for females is surfacing,” says Singapore-based research analysts for the survey, Anastassia Evlanova, who added that feeling safe in the place you live is often taken for granted.
The report found that while Singapore is generally very safe for women, the number of “outrage of modesty” cases increased 12 per cent between 2017 and 2018, indicating that sexual harassment remains a problem.
While Japan is often regarded as a safe country overall (in this survey it ranked fourth, behind Australia), unreported sexual assault and discrimination is a significant issue for women in Japan, the report states, adding that according to government figures, more than 95 per cent of sexual violence incidences aren’t reported to police. Researchers believed this to be due to women feeling shame or self-blame for these types of crimes.
As for the Southeast Asia region, herewith is the excerpt:
Source : South China Morning Post, Value Champion
