世界上哪里的人最安全?

Where in the World Do People Feel Safest?

A new study takes a look at people’s ratings² of the safest and most dangerous places in the world.

The American research company Gallup asked people to tell about their experiences with crime and law enforcement³. Gallup says its researchers carried out the study last year in a total of 142 countries and areas.

The researchers met with the individuals in person or spoke⁴ with them by telephone. People were asked these brief questions:

1. In the city or area where you live, do you have confidence in the local police force?

2. Do you feel safe walking alone at night in the city or area where you live?

3. Within the past 12 months, have you had money or property stolen from you or another household member?

4. Within the past 12 months, have you been assaulted⁶ or mugged?

The findings⁷ were published in Gallup’s 2018 Law and Order Index⁸ report.

‘Law and Order’ scores

Singapore received the top rating¹ in the study – 97 out of a possible 100. In this Southeast Asian nation, 94 percent of people questioned in 2017 said they felt safe walking alone in their neighborhood at night.

Three northern European countries – Norway, Iceland and Finland - were in a tie for second place. Each received a rating of 93. Results showed 93 percent of Norwegians reported feeling safe walking around alone at night.

The Central Asian nation of Uzbekistan received the same rating as Hong Kong. They each had a score of 91. Switzerland and Canada tied at 90, while Indonesia received 89.

Seven nations were next on the list with scores of 88. The seven were Denmark, Slovenia, Luxembourg, Austria, China, the Netherlands and Egypt.

The United States received a rating of 84. That was the same score as the Czech Republic, Sweden, France and Taiwan.

At the bottom of the list was Venezuela, with a score of 44. The study noted⁹ that only 17 percent of the Venezuelans questioned said they felt safe walking alone at night. This was up from 12 percent in 2016.

Afghanistan scored next lowest with 45. Just 20 percent of Afghans said they felt safe walking around alone at night. This was a drop from the 36 percent reported in 2016. In addition, the study found that Afghans’ trust in local police fell from 68 percent in 2016, to 31 percent last year.

Among the 10 countries where the least people said they felt safe walking alone at night, five were in Latin¹⁰ America. Four others were in African countries south of the Sahara Desert.

South Sudan came in third from the bottom with a score of 54. Gabon was next (55), followed by Liberia (56), South Africa (58), Mexico (58) and the Dominican Republic (60).

When it comes to where people have the greatest trust in their local police, the United States and Canada topped the list with a score of 82. Western Europe and Southeast Asia followed close behind, followed by South Asia, East Asia and Eastern Europe.

I’m Bryan Lynn.

Words in This Story

confidence – n. feeling or belief that you can do something well or succeed at something?

household – n. people are family members and who live together in the same home

assault⁵ – v. commit a violent or verbal¹¹ attack

mug – v. attack and rob someone in a public place

1 rating   

n.级别，等级，额定值，责骂，收视率

参考例句：

• It is a ship with a rating of 500,000 tons.这是一艘五十万吨级的船。
• The opinion polls gave the president a high rating.民意测验显示人民对总统的支持率很高。

2 ratings   

n.等级( rating的名词复数 )；收视率；表示电影分级的数字（或字母）；（海军）水兵

参考例句：

• He won high ratings [marks] in all his examinations. 他所有的考试都获得高分。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The boat was operated by two naval ratings in dress whites. 船由两个穿着白色礼服的水兵驾驶。 来自辞典例句

3 enforcement   

n.实施, 执行

参考例句：

• MPs called for tougher enforcement of the existing laws on drugs. 下院议员呼籲加强现行毒品法律的执行力度。
• The court is ineffective because it lacks the necessary enforcement machinery. 法院效率低是因为缺乏必要的执行机制。

4 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

5 assault   

v.猛烈地攻击，袭击；n.突然而猛烈的攻击

参考例句：

• She appeared in court on charges of kidnapping and assault.她因受到拐骗和侵犯人身的指控而出庭。
• The trainees were put through an assault course.受训人员接受了突击训练课程。

6 assaulted   

v.袭击( assault的过去式和过去分词 )；强暴；猛烈攻击；使（感官）难受

参考例句：

• We assaulted the city on all sides. 我们从四面八方向该城发起攻击。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The enemy assaulted us at dawn. 敌人在黎明时向我进攻。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 findings   

n.发现物( finding的名词复数 )；调查（或研究）的结果；（陪审团的）裁决

参考例句：

• It behoves us to study these findings carefully. 我们理应认真研究这些发现。
• Their findings have been widely disseminated . 他们的研究成果已经广为传播。

8 index   

n.食指；索引；标志；指数；v.把...编索引

参考例句：

• Performonce is an index of ability.成绩是能力的标志。
• Manner of walking gives an index to one's charactor.走路的姿态可反应出人的性格。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 Latin   

adj.拉丁的，拉丁语的，拉丁人的；n.拉丁语

参考例句：

• She learned Latin without a master.她无师自通学会了拉丁语。
• Please use only Latin characters.请仅使用拉丁文字符。

11 verbal   

adj.口头的，用言辞的，用文字的，动词的

参考例句：

• Verbal statements are no guarantee.口说无凭。
• I delivered a verbal protest against their brutal acts.我对他们的暴行提出口头抗议。