News18 She Shakti Suraksha Survey 2025: 'Women feel safest in Ahmedabad, Indore, Mumbai'

The survey also questioned these women on whether they have perceived improvements in neighbourhood safety over the past two years

Women feel the safest in Ahmedabad, Indore, and Mumbai have emerged as the top three cities where women feel safest, according to the She Shakti Suraksha Survey 2025 conducted by CNN-News18 in partnership with PValue.

The survey, which was released on Friday ahead of the International Women's Day 2025, stated that 82% of urban women across 20 Indian cities perceive their cities as safe environments, while only 6% consider their urban settings unsafe. The remaining 12% reported moderate feelings of safety.

The survey also stated that 7% of women reported encountering some form of harassment in public spaces over the past year. Among those who faced harassment, verbal incidents were the most prevalent, accounting for 60% of reported cases.

The survey aims to be a strategic tool for policymakers and will be conducted annually to track progress and guide targeted interventions.

Safety at workspaces

A significant 87% of women who responded to the survey reported that the implementation of the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) measures at their workplaces is effective.

However, a small segment—2%—believes these measures are not effective, highlighting gaps that require attention.The survey, which currently covers 20 cities, plans to expand to 100 cities.  The data, 10 different Indian languages, was collected through Computer-Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) using random sampling of 400 respondents per city.

The survey’s demographic breakdown includes age, education level, marital status, and household income, providing a nuanced understanding of safety perceptions. The survey serves as a road map for addressing women’s safety concerns and ensuring their full participation in public life.

The survey also questioned these women on whether they have perceived improvements in neighbourhood safety over the past two years. It also focuses on women’s comfort levels when walking alone at night in order to show how community awareness impacts women’s mobility and sense of security.

Most women (82%) report felt safe in their neighbourhoods. However, according to the survey, this general sense of security is not universal, with 4% of respondents explicitly stating they feel unsafe in their residential areas.

The survey also explored confidence in institutional authorities. The survey stated that 78% of respondents are confident that if they raise concerns about their safety in their educational institute, appropriate action will be taken by the authorities. Meanwhile, 5% of respondents are not confident that if they raise a concern about their safety in their educational institute, appropriate action will be taken by the authorities.