Recently a local woman reported an attempted sexual assault near the University of Montana campus last week, another woman has reported a sexual assault that occurred at the end of March on Missoula’s North Side. Let's not forget the recent Griz player scandals, as well. The local population is skyrocketing and the Montana economy is stagnant. These two factors can make a dangerous combination for all sorts of violent crimes.

Some cities have become dangerous places to be, especially for women. Forbes put together a list of the most dangerous cities for women to live in and visit.

Is Missoula, Montana on the list?

Let's investigate:


The data for the study came from FBI crime statistics that measured the number of violent crimes in each city, including murder, forcible rape, robbery and aggravated assault for 2011. An even more disturbing fact is that the number of reported rapes may not represent the true number of actual incidents since some sexual crimes go unreported, according to The Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN).

Saginaw, Michigan topped Forbes’ list as the most dangerous for women — a staggering 76 rape cases are reported for every 100,000 people in the metro area. Anchorage and Fairbanks, Alaska took the second and third spots, respectively. Thirty-seven percent of the women in the entire state have reportedly been the victim of a sexual assault at some point in their lives.

The Most Dangerous Cities in America for Women

1. Saginaw, Michigan

2. Anchorage, Alaska

3. Fairbanks, Alaska

4. Springfield, Illinois

5. Redding, California

6. Flint, Michigan

7. Pine Bluff, Arkansas

8. Lawton, Oklahoma

9. Battle Creek, Michigan

10. Memphis, Tennessee

It appears that Missoula has dodged the bullet when it comes to being added to this list, but it's clear that violent crimes are certainly on the rise, locally and nationally. What are you doing to stay safe in Missoula? Speak out in the comment section below.

Some cities have become dangerous places to be, especially for women. Forbes put together a list of the most dangerous cities for women to live in and visit.
Is Missoula, Montana on the list?

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