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Safe in Zuiderpark - APP
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Logline:
A digital platform thought by harassment survivors for harassment survivors, where they can find each other geographically set in the Zuiderpark.
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Goal:
The aim of the app is to create a network of solidarity
for women who are/were victim of harassment in the Zuiderpark or that just want to support other women in the neighborhood. This project is part of "safe in in Zuiderpark" initiative born from the citizens of the south of Rotterdam after a rape that happened in the park a few months back and it is our way to cast away the fears of being out there in the world alone and at the same time reclaiming the space of the park as citizens.
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Target audience:
The target audience for this app would be originally only womxn living in the proximity of Zuiderpark or whom visit/walk in the park.
I hope to extend it also to other genders as soon as I know the app is up and running.
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Creator statement:
The world out there is brutal towards women who are victim of harassment. The patriarchy wants us to believe that we are alone, isolated, vulnerable. As a woman how do I react to this? I am scared all the time, I become paranoid and I start limiting my own freedom, so that I won’t have to deal with that sense of fear and discomfort that I feel when I walk alone on the street or in a place where I know bad things have happened to other women. I avoid certain times and certain places, but in this way I do nothing but play the sick game of the patriarchy and I let the perpetrators of violence win. When I do menage to overcome my fears and I find myself walking alone, I feel the need to talk to someone as it gives me courage, makes me feel less vulnerable and less approachable by shady individuals. However, perhaps none of my loved ones are available in that moment, I don't want to disturb them or I fear/know that no one would put themselves in a listening position for me, downplaying my mood or label me as “exaggerated”. The situation on social media is even worse: rape survivors are constantly victim-blamed or slut-shamed for what happened to them, we as women are more vulnerable to cyber bullying and revenge porn. It just hurts to see the people commenting nasty and mean things underneath posts about the last rape report, always questioning if the woman reported just because she wanted 5 minutes of notoriety or some money by the “poor man” being accused. It fuels that rape culture that leads victim to not report and to feel vulnerable and isolated. We need a sympathetic and emphatic space also online (especially during the pandemic) where we can find each other and give each other strength. We also need to be able to start reclaiming the physical space that the fear of perpetrators has taken away from us.
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App features:
- Create an account: decide whether to be anonymous (after verification of your account) or not.
- Chat: the general chat is public. All the users are automatically admitted to this, furthermore you can join different conversations according to your interests or starting a new one. There is no private chat/direct messages feature, so that if someone is being nasty everyone sees it and they will get kick out.
- Map: a detailed map of the Zuiderpark showing its facilities.
- Leave a note: it is possible to leave an anonymous, positive message for the next users/zuiderpark goers in order to improve their experience in the park and create a sense of community.
- The note/message will automatically appear on the map in the location where you submitted it as soon as you leave the park. The other users will see a “marker” appear on the map*.
- The note on the map will vanish in 24 hours.
- The next passer-by can anonymously reply to the original note. That will also be visible by users (as a thread). The whole thread will disappear when the original note expires.
- Useful info: you can find all sorts of useful articles, link, resources on this page, like other safety apps, useful numbers, how to seek psychological help, how to fight rape culture etc… (e.g. in case of harassment or if you feel in danger there are other apps with features like panic buttons that call directly to the police)
- “Call someone” feature: call whomever is available at the moment, you can’t pick who to call.
- Availability: turn on the availability switch to give your consent to be called by other users.
- Users in the park: always shows how many users are present in the park, if you enter you also see roughly their position.
*Any user who is in the park can see the markers, but only if they walk its proximities they can actually open the message and reply to it.
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Aesthetics (prototype):
For the prototype design I have used a color palette (shades of pink, blue and green) that would easy on the eye and convey calm to the user. I wanted to have colors that are vibrant and full of life but not aggressive, having in mind the target audience and goal of the app which is on one hand empowering womxn and making them feel safe. The predominant color of the app is pink as an act of re-appropriation and reclaiming of the color that has represented pointlessly gendered toys stereotyped girlyness. The picture I have chosen for the background and title tile, is also very serene and vernal. The general look of the app, I wanted it to be "démodé" as I wish that it will fall out of fashion sooner rather than later: as feminist activists we work to get extinct because one day we hope we won't be needed anymore as real equality is reached and established for good.
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