Safetipin: A Mobile Application Towards Women Safety

Abstract

Women have always been considered safe ‘char divaron ke ander’ (within the fourwalls). In the last few decades, there has been a phenomenal shift from their engagementwithin households into the workplaces to create a niche for themselves within thebroader society. A woman’s mortal fear only increases when she must travel alone,even in the cities, particularly during late evenings but she even finds herself unsafe athome or within a crowded space. She finds her independence constrained by fear for hersafety, even more pronouncedly when she is employed and has to travel alone puttingherself in danger. Women’s safety is the important dimension to be discussed since herself-perception of being safe has a strong connection with her empowerment. Therefore,women safety and empowerment are interwoven. A safe woman is beyond doubtempowered. Discussions which previously pivoted on a woman’s freedom, freedom of
expression, and equal opportunity, have suddenly shifted to safety, because of the manyincidents of atrocities against women, whether on the streets or in any other publicspaces. Over the years, many women safety mobile applications have proliferated toaddress women’s safety in public spaces. These applications by various entrepreneursshare similar functions and services such as, an emergency contact list to alert in caseof a crisis, transmission of GPS-determined areas, and directions to safe locations etc.But one such application called “Safetipin” has been found, with plenty of other servicestoo, to contribute towards the feeling of security among women. This study intends toengage “Safetipin” as a case study and understand the working modalities and functionsof this mobile application. The research was conducted to gauge the readiness ofThiruvananthapuram city in Kerala, India, towards implementing women’s safety. The
study also aims to mention some of the experiences shared by the social work studentsduring the auditing process.