Perception matters

The latest ranking of the most violent cities in the world had several notable exclusions

One-third of global homicides occur in Latin America, according to UN data. Jorge Silva / Reuters

It’s easy for anyone from outside this region to believe that the most violent cities in the world are situated in the Middle East. Such an idea is not entirely misplaced.

With Iraq and Syria in a state of war and Palestine engulfed in violence over the past several months, there is a stubborn perception that local violence is out of control. However, statistics paint a far different picture.

The fact of the matter is that the Middle East doesn’t feature anywhere in the latest ranking of the world’s most violent cities. On top of the list, compiled by Mexico’s Citizens’ Council for Public Security and Criminal Justice, is San Pedro Sula in Honduras.

Although the ranking includes places with a population of more than 300,000 and doesn’t count deaths in combat zones or cities with unavailable data, it does show that reality often varies from our perceptions and that safety can sometimes be found in the most unlikely places.