Women studying in the city of Beersheva in Israel get a tool similar to Egypt’s Harassmap. Local media is reporting that the college campus girls at Ben Gurion University have created an online map of where sexual harassments are taking place, helping the police better patrol risk areas.
While sexual harassment is not that common in Israel, there can be a few isolated people who are making it hard for women, the police suspect according to an article in Haaretz. So the women in Israel, like the girls in Tahir Square and around Cairo, have decided to take the problem into their own hands.
Using Google maps, women can post the assaults anonymously pointing out the day, time and location of the assault. The initiative was developed by student Israel Kariti, and it also allows the girls to describe her assailants. Those hesitant to contact the otherwise ineffective police in Israel now have an easy way of reporting any abuse.
One student has put together a watch group based on the reports.
Harassmap was developed in Cairo after the fall of Husni Mubarak in 2011. As the loathed leader was disposed, women saw a sudden and unexpected rise in rape and violent crimes against them. Harassmap was developed to help warn women of potential hot zones, and to let them report the appearance of their assaulters. Women in Cairo are also harassed by bicycle. The app can help let a women know when is the best time to ride, like during prayer times, when the streets may be clearer than usual.
Author: Karin Kloosterman
Karin Kloosterman is an award-winning journalist, innovation strategist, and founder of Green Prophet, one of the Middle East’s pioneering sustainability platforms. She has ranked in the Top 10 of Verizon innovation competitions, participated in NASA-linked challenges, and spoken worldwide on climate, food security, and future resilience. With an IoT technology patent, features in Canada’s National Post, and leadership inside teams building next-generation agricultural and planetary systems — including Mars-farming concepts — Karin operates at the intersection of storytelling, science, and systems change. She doesn’t report on the future – she helps design it. Reach out directly to [email protected]
