SAFE YOU mobile application. Innovative technologies against violence against women

Last year, when the number of cases of domestic violence caused by the coronavirus pandemic increased worldwide, the search for new ideas to combat this vicious phenomenon began. Armenia was not left out of the process, as a result of which a group of young girls created the innovative SAFE YOU mobile application, thus contributing to the fight against violence against women. Moreover, this investment is so significant and successful that it is demanded by many countries around the world today.

Thanks to the SAFE YOU application, it was possible to save the life of a woman and her child, which was even mentioned by the famous Forbes magazine in its article on the SAFE YOU application published this April.

The SAFE YOU mobile application was created by women and addressed to women to resist violence against them. By downloading the application on their mobile phone, the user gets the opportunity to call for help in a dangerous situation with a click of the HELP button, sending several alert messages to law enforcement agencies, pre-selected personal contacts, and supporting NGOs. The application also has an informing function through a forum, where it is possible to conduct anonymous discussions, receive professional advice from doctors, lawyers, psychologists, etc.

In a conversation with WomenNet.am, Mariam Torosyan, Founder and CEO of the Impact Innovations Institute social enterprise, which created the SAFE YOU mobile application, said that the SAFE YOU application has a number of functions, but the main one is to empower women by increasing their level of protection to transform their quality of life. According to her, the application promotes the consolidation of state and non-governmental organizations and individual professionals who can help women victims of violence.

According to Mariam Torosyan, the idea of the SAFE YOU mobile application started two years ago with a World Bank-supported program, in which the Enterprise Incubator Foundation researched innovative solutions to help women victims of violence.

The birth of the app coincided with difficult and tragic events in Armenia: a war broke out in Artsakh. There were also financial problems, due to which it was not possible to distribute the application in our country at that stage. But the app has been successfully adopted by a number of countries around the world, including our neighbor Georgia, where it already has more than 15,000 users in partnership with the Sapar Union, one of the leading women’s rights NGOs. Girls do not limit themselves by that.

At present, Armenia has the fewest users of the application, but Mariam Torosyan is sure that it is temporary, a big event will be held in the near future, during which various organizations will present the possibilities of the SAFE YOU application to their audiences.

Given the international cooperation and future plans, the mobile application can be considered a successful project of social entrepreneurship.

Full text in Armenian