Canadian Anti-Sexual Harassment App Provides Timely Solution
by Renee Mitson
Torontonians are tired of the sexual harassment problem that has been flooding the newspapers, especially in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood, this summer. “Not Your Baby,” a Canadian-developed sexual harassment response iPhone application, provides an answer to cat calls everywhere.
Users can launch the application and respond to a variety of queries in order to respond to different harassment situations with variables such as “Who” and “Where.” The app is also highly interactive, allowing users to submit responses of their own and support one another. Project partners for the application include the Native Women’s Resource Centre of Toronto and the Centre for Research and Education on Violence against Women and Children.
This app comes at the perfect time: sexual assault prevention and rape culture have taken the main stage with highly controversial comments from Krista Ford in recent weeks and the upcoming TEDxToronto where SlutWalk founders Heather Jarvis and Sonya JF Barret will be speaking.
Some argue that digital media is creating neighbourhood separation within urban areas, but projects like this display the community-building potential in thoughtful technology creation. The west side of Toronto has had issues with sexual assault and harassment this summer, which have led the rest of the city to become involved, and culminated in the creation of a digital application (launched Sept 10, 2012) that responds to this highly-localized problem with resources for everyone to utilize. From a local Toronto neighbourhood to the iTunes store, this is a community-conscious job well done.
Image Source: Salty Running
