Swastika.Media- Crimes against women- Domestic Violence, Global Safety and Global Peace - GSI: GPI : A Comprehensive Analysis - Part 1
Introduction
Domestic Violence Prevalence
Research confirms that domestic violence against women is a significant global public health concern, with particularly high rates documented in sub-Saharan Africa.
Ethiopia has indeed been identified as having some of the highest prevalence rates worldwide.
According to a WHO multi-country study conducted in Butajira, Ethiopia, 71% of women reported experiencing either sexual or physical intimate partner violence (IPV) or both in their lifetime, with 54% reporting such violence within the past year.
This data positions Ethiopia as having the highest prevalence among the 10 countries included in the WHO study.
The scope of domestic violence in Ethiopia is extensive, with studies documenting that approximately 90 to 100% of participants in national studies reported that IPV was a common phenomenon in Ethiopia.
The lifetime prevalence of any form of IPV ranges from 51 to 78%, with physical and sexual forms being most prevalent.
Specifically, lifetime physical violence ranges from 30 to 60%, while sexual violence ranges from 35 to 59% over a lifetime.
In Nigeria, particularly Lagos State, domestic violence is also prevalent.
Research conducted among women in urban Lagos communities found a lifetime prevalence of IPV at 73.3%.
Sexual violence was particularly high, with 62.3% of respondents experiencing sexual forms of IPV in their lifetime.
A 2017 report revealed that sexual violence had reached epidemic proportions in Lagos State, with child sexual abuse accounting for 70% of reported cases.
When analyzing 648 reported cases of sexual violence nationwide, Lagos alone accounted for 40 cases or 7% of the total.
Global Safety Index Rankings
Based on the most current safety index data from Numbeo for 2025, countries are ranked on a scale where higher scores indicate greater safety.
The global safety index ( GSI) is calculated from crime perception data collected through surveys focusing on overall crime levels in different nations.
Top 10 Safest Countries
The countries with the highest safety index scores are
United Arab Emirates - 85.2
Andorra - 84.8
Qatar - 84.6
Taiwan - 83.0
Macao (China) - 81.8
Oman - 81.4
Isle of Man - 79.1
Hong Kong (China) - 78.5
Armenia - 77.6
Japan - 77.3
Worst Safety Index Countries
The countries with the lowest safety index scores, indicating the highest crime levels, are:
Haiti - 19.0
Papua New Guinea - 19.3
Venezuela - 19.5
Afghanistan - 24.8
South Africa - 25.4
Honduras - 28.1
Trinidad and Tobago - 29.0
Syria - 31.6
Jamaica - 32.6
Peru - 33.3
Mid-Level Safety Index Countries
Countries with safety index scores in the mid-range (approximately 50-60) include
United States - 50.8
Ireland - 51.4
Malaysia - 51.4
New Zealand - 51.5
United Kingdom - 51.6
Sweden - 51.9
Morocco - 52.5
Australia - 52.6
Italy - 52.8
Ukraine - 53.0
Egypt - 53.1
Lebanon - 53.1
Greece - 53.6
Indonesia - 53.9
Canada - 54.2
Ghana - 54.2
India - 55.8
Philippines - 56.6
Understanding Safety Index Methodology
The Safety Index is derived from crime perception surveys and represents the inverse of the Crime Index.
It measures the overall level of crime in a country as perceived by visitors and residents.
The index is calculated using empirical formulas that incorporate various crime-related factors and safety perceptions.
Numbeo’s Safety Index ( GSI ) differs from other international rankings like the Global Peace Index (GPI).
While the GPI measures peacefulness through factors including societal safety, ongoing conflicts, and militarization, the Safety Index focuses specifically on crime levels and safety perceptions in daily life.
Regional and Global Context
The data reveals significant regional variations in safety levels.
Sub-Saharan African countries tend to cluster toward the lower end of the safety spectrum, while Gulf states, East Asian nations, and several European countries dominate the highest safety rankings.
The correlation between domestic violence prevalence and overall safety indices suggests that countries with higher rates of gender-based violence often face broader security challenges that impact their overall safety rankings.
Ethiopia, despite its high domestic violence rates, scores 49.6 on the safety index, placing it in the lower-middle range globally.
Nigeria scores 33.9, positioning it among countries with significant safety challenges.
These rankings reflect crime levels and broader socioeconomic and institutional factors that influence overall safety and security conditions.
