This paper argues that a largely overlooked wellspring of national insecurity is exaggerated gender inequality. The authors contend that security scholarship is theoretically and empirically impoverished to the extent that it fails to inquire into what the relationship is between violence against women and violence within/between socities. Specifically, the paper addresses sex ratios in Asia– specifically in China and India– and how those sex ratios impact broader issues of governance and the conduct of foreign policy.