Use of Internet of Things To Curb Gender Based Violence
What is Gender Based Violence?
Gender-based violence refers to violence directed against a person because of his or her gender and expectations of his or her role in a society or culture. The United Nations defines violence against women as ‘any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in physical ,sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women. This includes threats of such acts and deprivation of liberty whether occurring in public or private life.
How can IOT aid in preventing or stopping GBV?
For starters,the term Internet Of Things (IoT) is used to refer to the inter connectivity of objects, sensors and everyday ‘things’. These objects are also enabled to have computing capabilities so that they can create, send and utilise data as well as trigger other devices. The ‘things’ could include devices such as smartphones, wearables such as smartwatches, smartglasses as well as smart jewellery. By use of these devices, IoT can be used in real time monitoring and reporting of various conditions in diverse environments.
One of the major challenges in fighting GBV is lack of prompt access to aid and lack of documented evidence for use in prosection of perpetrators. IoT can make it easier for the victims to contact help and document the abuse.
I will focus on two ways in which this can be achieved
- Use of Smartphones
Smartphone apps can play an important role in curbing GBV in various ways such as:
- Mapping: crowdsourced mapping tools identify where violence against women and girls is happening
- Protecting: alert apps help women and girls to notify key support people if they feel they are at risk of violence
- Collecting evidence: technology is increasing being utilized to collect and store evidence of violence against women and girls with the aim of increasing access to justice for survivors
- Informing: the internet offers unprecedented access to information, enabling women and girls around the world to better understand their rights and to access services.
However,even with the use of smartphones, it is equally important to address and prevent violence against women and girls in cyberspace, and to educate women and girls about cyber safety.
Smartphone apps can be designed to be self reporting incase of danger.They can also document abuse. The apps could provide a simple UI, a visible button for example, that a victim could click when endangered. The app could hence send an alert to the victims’s relatives, the police and any safety agent near the locality of the victim. The alert messages can be sent in various ways such as SMS,emails,calls or posting on their social media platforms e.g twitter and facebook.
These apps can also be designed to send alert messages even without having to open the app. The alerts can be triggered by just shaking the phone. The user configures a ‘Shake’ threshold so as not to send false alarms. It can be designed to require no internet access and send SOS messages through customized SMSs.
One such app is Bonga , designed and coded in Kenya.
2. Use of Wearable Technology
Wearable Computers(WCs) are computing devices that are assembled in a way that allows them to be worn or carried on the body while still having the User Interface ready for use at all times.
Some of these WCs are embedded onto accessories such as necklaces and bracelets while others are attached on clothes or worn as smart watches and smart glasses.
These WC’s can be used to raise an alarm whenever the wearer detects danger around them. The WC will send some form of data to an interconnected device or to a web application that will trigger an emergency situation to be created. The web application or device will instantly send an alert message to an aid agent who will rush to the victim’s location or inform aid-agents in the neighborhood of the victim.
Such WCs can also be attached to car keys so that in case a user is car-jacked,they can quickly raise an alarm. This can aid in tracking the victim by following the car key’s WC location.
One such Project to check out is ‘Roar For Good’ ,by a Philadelphian startup.
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