App to prevent violence against women

Recurrent incidents of violence against women and child abuse has created a sense of horror among countrymen. There are many social movements, laws and government initiatives to prevent this crime, but there violence against women go unabated and the women do not feel safe.

In most cases, the victims cannot even complain about the crime or seek justice due to different bureaucratic complications.

A new government initiative has raised hopes among people in preventing this crimes. The women and children's affairs ministry’s multisectoral programmes to prevent violence against women has launched a mobile application (app) named ‘Joy’.

A victim can call for help pressing the power button four times through the app. After pressing the button for four times, the mobile phone will vibrate and the victim has to press it once again and the emergency signal for help will reach the authorities.

They will automatically receive and be notified about the locations, recordings and even photos of the area of incident through the app.

The victim can also send location, picture or audio recordings, if possible, by pressing the emergency button of the mobile phone.

The app was launched on 29 July. Individuals working for the app are providing services and monitoring the app round the clock.

More than 3,000 people have installed the app while 947 complaints have been received till date. Victims are getting help immediately and several incidents of child marriages could be stopped thanks to this app.

Once someone reports an abuse through this app, a text message (SMS) will be immediately sent to the superintendent of police, the deputy police commissioner of the metro area, the three FNF numbers (the victim may select three mobile phone numbers from her contact list) and the national helpline centre (109) for women. The authorities pledge to maintain the confidientially of the person reporting the abuse and the information.

At this moment, very few people know how to use the app. It needs massive publicity and we hope it will create ‘panic’ among the criminals.

The number of crimes against women may go down if everyone starts to use this app.

We hope this initiative of the government will bring a change.