'Free to Be' is a project designed to give women a resource for reporting harassment, with the ultimate hope that law enforcement agencies will better be able to track and address harassment in the future. The project is a joint effort by children's charity Plan International (the company behind the 'Because I am a Girl' foundation) and mapping company Crowdspot.
The app, which is set up for the metro area of Melbourne, is an online map that can be contributed to by anyone. The idea is for women to mark areas around Melbourne where they feel unsafe and areas where they feel comfortable. These get marked on the map as 'Happy Spots' or 'Sad Spots.' Users can also leave comments about why that particular spot is safe or unsafe.
Harassment-Tracking Maps
'Free to Be' is an Online Map for Women to Report Harassment
Trend Themes
1. Harassment Reporting - Opportunity for creating innovative digital platforms that allow individuals to report incidents of harassment and contribute to a safer environment.
2. Data-driven Law Enforcement - Potential for using data collected from harassment reporting platforms to enhance and optimize law enforcement strategies and resources.
3. Public Safety Mapping - Emerging trend of utilizing online mapping tools to visually identify areas where people feel safe or unsafe, providing valuable insights for urban planning and public safety initiatives.
Industry Implications
1. Social Impact - Non-profit organizations and charities can leverage the power of technology to address societal issues by creating innovative tools for harassment reporting and prevention.
2. Law Enforcement - Law enforcement agencies can adopt and integrate harassment reporting technologies to improve their understanding and response to harassment incidents.
3. Urban Planning - Urban planning organizations and local governments can utilize mapping tools and insights generated from harassment reporting platforms to enhance the safety and livability of cities.