Report says region is worst place to stay- if you are female

The area ranked last among all 32 of Scotland’s local authority areas, and 356th out of the 380 in the UK.

The report, conducted by the National Centre for Social Research (NatCen), was based on a series of criteria including safety, wellbeing, education and life expectancy.

West Dunbartonshire ranked lowest in Scotland and the UK overall for life expectancy of women at 78.7 years.

The area also came in joint fifth bottom place in Scotland with the Midlothians for women’s safety – last year the Scottish Government revealed that West Dunbartonshire had the second highest rate of domestic abuse in Scotland with a 12 per cent rise in recorded incidents than the previous year.

The figures arrive despite parts of Scotland ranking among the top 10 across Britain in the Woman’s Hour survey with East Dunbartonshire polling best in Britain overall.

The survey indicated that safety and crime rates are major factors when deciding where to live, particularly for women.

NatCen considered a number of safety factors including drug offences, robbery and sex crimes.

A spokeswoman from Dumbarton's Women's Aid said: "We recognise that women’s inequality is a cause and consequence of domestic abuse and until we live in a country that addresses this balance we will be unable to eradicate violence against women.

"As an example of this, women are twice as dependant on social security as men, and women are twice as likely to give up paid work to become carers as men.

"It is important that independent domestic abuse services, like Dumbarton District Women’s Aid, can continue to offer support , helping to improve outcomes for women and children at a local level.

"On a positive note, Dumbarton District Women’s Aid has received 3 years continued funding from Scottish Government for our Children and Young People’s Services, and we are celebrating 30 years of delivering services to Women, Children and Young People affected by Domestic Abuse through refuge and outreach support."

A spokeswoman for Clydebank Woman's Aid added: "We are not surprised at the difference between East and West Dunbartonshire and while women are an oppressed group both nationally and globally, poverty inevitably exacerbates women’s life experiences. However domestic abuse and violence against women in general cuts across all boundaries and poverty should not be viewed as a case of abuse against women."

The survey analysed income inequality, looking at the median full-time income for women in each area as well as the ratio of men's to women's median income.

MSP for Dumbarton Jackie Baillie told the Post further action to tackle austerity is needed.

She said: “It is disappointing that West Dunbartonshire has fared so poorly in this study. The fact that our next door neighbours in affluent East Dunbartonshire have topped the list highlights the urgent need to tackle the shocking inequalities in Scotland.

“Both men and women are affected by poverty but women are even more likely to be marginalised due to gender discrimination and fewer opportunities to work or start a business."

MSP for Clydebank and Milngavie Gil Paterson, whose constituency covers both the worst and the best areas for women, said poverty played a major factor in the results.

He said: “In West Dunbartonshire, we have amazing, strong women who are a shining example to the rest of the country. It just so happens many are affected adversely by the endemic deprivation that scars communities in my constituency Clydebank, for example.

“What makes it that more complicated for me is I represent the worst and the best areas for women to live in, in Scotland. The neighbouring council area East Dunbartonshire has been named the best place in the whole of Britain for women to live.

“It is amazing and distressing that two areas can be so close together yet so far apart.”

West Dunbartonshire ranked positively in some categories, coming seventh out of 380 for housing affordability and 22nd for environment.

A spokesperson for WDC said: "Life expectancy and poverty are inextricably linked and together with our community planning partners, we are doing everything we can to address the underlying social and economic factors, including deprivation and generational health inequalities.

"We are determined to improve the life chances of all our residents by increasing access to jobs, education and training, ensuring families access their full benefit entitlement, offering improved housing and also intervening at the earliest opportunity to close the attainment gap and support families.

"We recognise that improving these figures will take time and we are committed to working together to make a difference."

None of the 32 Scottish local authorities were in the bottom 10 for Britain overall.

Across Britain, the worst place to live was found to be the London borough of Islington.