New domestic violence features added to 112 mobile app
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With the support provided to national partners by UN Women and the EU, the mechanisms for disseminating information about available services for the victims/survivors of domestic violence and responding to such violence are becoming more diverse and accessible.
One of the novelties introduced with the support of UN Women and EU is a new feature of the mobile application for 112 - the Emergency and Operative Response Center of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Namely, the “Useful Tips” menu of the 112 app now has a new section on domestic violence. It will help interested individuals easily find information about different types of domestic violence in addition to what to do if they or someone they know are experiencing domestic violence. The app also provides exhaustive information about state services available for the victims of violence: shelters, crisis centers and a hotline (116 006). Information is available in the Georgian, English and Russian languages.
Representatives of UN Women and 112 presented the app’s new functionality to local civil and community organizations and local government representatives on 7 March 2019 in the town of Zugdidi, located in Georgia’s western region of Samegrelo.
“As a member of the local council, I will share this information at every meeting, and I will try to support the eradication of the problem of domestic violence with these tools,” remarked attendee Iruza Kakava, a majoritarian member of Zugdidi Municipality.
The 112’s mobile app is a free, innovative and high-tech service, and its biggest advantage is in determining a user’s location. The app includes such features as silent alert and chat; if the user cannot talk, or if making a call would be too dangerous, then s/he can use the silent alert or chat options. Such functionality is especially important in cases of domestic violence. It should be pointed out that as soon as the SOS button is tapped, the user’s GPS coordinates are sent immediately to an operator in order to determine his/her location and then send the police to the exact address.
The information meeting was held during Gender Week, organized in Georgia annually to mark International Women’s Day. The initiative was carried out within the framework of the project “Unite to Fight Violence against Women”, implemented by UN Women with the generous financial support of the European Union.