10 Horrifying Cities to Live In

There are many great cities out there to live in, but there are also some you would rather stay away from. Some are obvious. They’re known for simply having high homicide rates, or perhaps less than great water quality. However, there are also some cities out there that are so bad at certain things, that they would be absolutely horrific, and almost impossible for most people to stand living in. And yet, despite the everyday horrors, some people manage to live in these cities their entire lives, and find a measure of enjoyment in the world around them.

Please note, some of the entries include disturbing subject matter. You have been warned.

10. Cleveland, Ohio Has A Large Concentration Of Serial Killers For A City Its Size

Cleveland, Ohio is a hotspot for serial killers in this country, and may possibly be the most terrifying city in the United States. In fact, while no one seems to have managed to pinpoint any particular reason why, evidence points to Cleveland, Ohio practically being the serial killer capital of the world. TopTenz has even featured an article making that very thesis, for frightening reasons. Among others, Cleveland has played host to the infamous kidnapper Ariel Castro, recent serial killers like Anthony Sowell and Michael Madison, and killers of old like Jeffery Dahmer and the Cleveland torso murderer (fun fact: the lead investigator on that case was none other thanSomehow, Cleveland manages to regularly churn out horrific killers. Some of these people have been known for dismembering victims and hiding body parts around their property, while others like Castro were more interested in using and torturing live victims. Some of the killers have said they were inspired by killers of the past, but it is still curious that such a large concentration has built up in one area. Unfortunately, the most likely explanation is that Cleveland is a fairly large city that manages to still be somewhat isolated, and is also economically depressed – these are generally factors that lead an area that have a generally unsafe air. Plus, if you live in Cleveland, you’re going to have to root for the Browns. That could drive anyone to murder.

9. Dubai Has Put Tourists In Prison For Reporting Rapes That Occurred While Visiting

Dubai is part of the United Arab Emirates, and their laws are known for being very traditional and very draconian. They are most strict when it comes to laws about women and laws about sex, as their strict interpretation of religious law demands. This has put some foreigners in hot water when visiting the supposedly luxury city of Dubai, and finding that there was very little real protection for them within the law as a woman. Two different high profile cases have emerged where a woman who was visiting Dubai from a country in Europe was raped, reported it, and was arrested herself for her ‘crimes’. The issue is that whether you say you are raped or not, extramarital sex is illegal in the UAE, so the women in both these situations found themselves jailed, with the police telling them they need to learn the law before coming to Dubai.

The first woman was from Norway, and was released after an international outcry, although she was at first sentenced to 16 months in prison – for the crime of being raped and reporting it, because she had sex outside of marriage. Another woman from the UK was raped by two British men while visiting, and upon reporting it to the police, was held and threatened with jail time. With proper international pressure she will likely see release, but the fact that the laws on the books are to jail women for reporting a sexual assault is just insane. To judge someone as committing a crime when someone forced them to do an act against their will makes no sense whatsoever.

8. South Africa’s Largest City, Johannesburg, Has A Serious Issue With AIDS And Baby Rape

You read the title of the entry, so don’t say we didn’t warn you – this entry is about some nasty stuff. South Africa in general has a problem with rape, and has for some time, which has unfortunately also led to an increasing spread of AIDS in South Africa. This is especially apparent in Johannesburg, where the FIFA World Cup was held not long ago, and there were many concerns about athletes and all the people who came with them potentially being raped. However, what went somewhat under the radar in those days is that a big part of the problem is actually child rape, and sometimes even that of infants.

The problem is that once AIDS started to become a problem, people would still go to traditional healers for advice, many of whom would tell them ridiculous things, like that having sex with a virgin would cure their illness. This means many men have gone to increasing lengths to try to cure their AIDS, sometimes raping young children, and in rare cases, even babies who are a few months old, thinking it will be a cure. This has also led AIDS to proliferate even worse in South Africa and in Johannesburg specifically because the quickest way to spread it further is for those infected to have sex with virgins. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the issue is going away anytime soon.

7. Being A Street Kid In Rio De Janeiro Is A Matter Of Life And Death

Recently, Rio De Janeiro hosted the Olympic Games, and they did everything they could to hide the fact that their city is a total shambles, but failed pretty badly on this point. The reputation as a city where constant thievery is the rule of the day, and you can never stop paying attention or your phone will be ripped from your hand, is well cemented in most people’s minds. However, while people think about all the crime, what they often don’t think about is how many crimes against humanity the government of Brazil commits on a regular basis to clean up the streets, and committed especially for the Olympic Games. The issue is that most of the people doing the stealing are homeless children. Kids as young as seven are commonly seen on the roadways begging for change and stealing what they need to in order to survive.

Many consider them a public menace, of course, but these are little children with no guidance, many of whom are just trying to eat. Those who do become addicted to drugs do so to cope, because they are just little kids who have no home and no one to care for them. There have been many reports that in order to clean up the streets, the police have rounded up large amounts and put them in very inhumane prisons for no real crimes at all. There are also UN suspicions and reports that suggest that police in some areas are being directed to quietly clean up the problem, and simply kill many of the homeless children. It is hard to confirm as the government would not want to admit to this openly, but the Brazilian police are known for committing an incredible amount of homicides every year. The truth is that living on the streets of Rio would be horribly grim, and even visiting would likely not be a fun time at all.

6. Fukushima, Japan Has Been Overrun By Radioactive Wild Boars And Citizens Are Scared

We all know about the tragedy that happenedat Fukushima, but what many people may not know is that the tragedy is far from over. The damaged reactor is still causing issues and is not fully under control – it could keep releasing contamination for many years to come. However, even worse for the former citizens of Fukushima, they may never get their lives back. At least for now, the Japanese government believes they have things contained, and they believe the radiation levels in Fukushima are starting to drop. They want to start lifting the evacuation order and allowing people to return to their homes, about six years after the disaster happened. However, the truth is that at this point, it may actually be too late.