Vodacom on a mission to help those facing abuse with a new free app

The Vodacom Foundation is on a mission to assist those fighting against gender-based violence and domestic abuse in South Africa, and they have created a free app to help them do just that.

There has been a rise in GBV cases in the country that came with the national lockdown. According to the latest GBV research, one in four women will experience violence by men. They are also five times more likely to be killed. The economic cost to fight gender-based violence in South Africa is between R28 billion and R42.4 billion a year. This includes the social services, shelter, and health care needed to respond effectively to the crisis.

Takalani Netshitenzhe, External Affairs Director for Vodacom South Africa, revealed that digital technology can help those facing violence and abuse. “The app is part of our prevention strategy to strengthen prevention through awareness and education and will also augment the response by the law enforcement agencies through some of its functionalities,” Netshitenzhe says.

The name of the app is Bright Sky, and it is a free app that is available on both Android and iOS, developed to fight gender-based violence and domestic abuse in the country. It provides information to anyone who is in an abusive relationship or those who might know of someone who is. Currently, it supports three of South Africa’s official languages: English, IsiZulu, and Sesotho.

The Bright Sky SA app focuses on providing information, rather than acting as a safety app, Memeburn reported. It helps users to assess whether they or someone they know is in an abusive relationship by completing a risk assessment questionnaire. This short list of questions helps users identify different forms of abuse and the types of support available to them.

Additionally, it gives users information about gender-based violence, supported by various case studies. By educating people about the forms of domestic abuse, and advising on what to do, Bright Sky SA serves as a resource that helps those experiencing abuse, as well as their loved ones. Using geolocation, Bright Sky SA provides information on support services available in South Africa, including a directory of police stations, hospitals, and NGOs across the country.

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