NO APP mobile application to ensure women safety formally launched
Pune, February 12, 2018: Vijaya Rahatkar, Chairperson, Maharashtra State Women’s Commission formally launched ‘NO’ APP, that functions as a smart phone mobile application for women who sense sexual threat or harassment. The development of this APP is a vital aspect of Program for Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence (PPPSV), a collaborative initiative of King Edward Memorial Hospital Research Centre, Pune, Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité, University clinic of Berlin, Bayer India and an advisory council of experts from India. The program aims to prevent sexual violence against women and children in India.
Speaking on the occasion, Vijaya Rahatkar said “Sexual violence is a harsh reality of our world. It is not a one-time, gender specific event but rather a social phenomenon. Sexual violence leads to a variety of psychological and psychosomatic disorders and must therefore be regarded as a public health issue affecting the entire society. In this context, the, ‘NO’ APP is developed with the objective to prevent sexual violence in the community through deterrence. I am glad to note that important initiatives such as ‘NO’ APP are working towards creating a collaborative effort in tackling this problem. I have been told that the project team is working with Mumbai Police through Pratisaad and a 24/7 call center to efficiently and effectively address distress calls from individuals who sense a sexual threat. ‘NO’ APP is truly the need of the hour.”
Dr. Klaus M. Beier, Professor, Director, Institute of Sexology and Sexual Medicine, Charité – Berlin elaborated about the objective of PPPSV project “The goal of PPPSV is to develop approaches for primary prevention of sexual violence in India via the route of medical science and technology. An intrinsic part of our Program for Primary Prevention of Sexual Violence (PPPSV) is introducing innovative strategies of primary prevention and to protect women and children from undergoing the trauma of sexual violence. The idea of primary prevention is to stop the act from actually occurring, thus safeguarding women and children from sexual violence and its after-effects.”
The ‘NO’ APP has the simple functionality of a geolocation based reporting system. Its users can activate a distress call when facing sexual threat or harassment which will then go out to other users in the immediate vicinity, who get the location of the incident and can navigate to the spot to become supportive bystanders. This functionality leads to an increase in social control. What is unique about ‘NO’ APP is that it works with a holistic approach.
The ‘NO’ APP is collaborating with the Maharashtra Police through Pratisaad. Thus, any distress call will be reported to the police in real time with the location of the incident. The police will then be able to send the nearest patrolling officer to the spot. Additionally, there is also a call-center that will work 24/7 to support distress calls swiftly and efficiently.
Speaking on the occasion, Richard van der Merwe, Senior Bayer Representative, South Asia said “’NO’ stands for a statement in the society, aiming to shift the public attitude from victim shaming to offender blaming. It looks to engage the community to solve a problem, empower those who long for an increase in women’s security and disarm potential offenders. More than being a mobile application, ’NO’ enables users to support each other when facing sexual harassment. . For Bayer, engagement has become the key to implement social initiatives; it is not a mere responsibility. Today, our CSE programs are being implemented across 15 states in India at a budget of approximately INR 150 Mio benefitting around 135,000 people.”
Rashmi Shukla IPS, Commissioner of Police Pune city, Kode Durga Prasad, IPS currently Adviser to the State Government, Andhra Pradesh in the Home Department, retired Special Director General of the country’s largest paramilitary force CRPF, Padmasri Dr. Mohan Agashe receipt of order of Merit from President of Germany, noted actor and a renowned psychiatrist, a distinguished member of Advisory board of PPPSV participated in the inaugural ceremony. He very strongly endorsed the use of NO APP saying that it meant another man against violence against women and children.
Noted film actor and theatre personality of Marathi film theatre Shashank Ketkar participated in the inaugural ceremony. He is best known for his role as Shree on the popular daily soap Honar Sun Me Hya Gharchi.
