The Netherlands has been ranked the fifth happiest country in the world; however, according to the Central Bureau of Statistics Netherlands (CBS), women’s safety is currently at a ten-year low, with 37% of women reporting feeling unsafe.
While cycling is the nation’s primary mode of transport, poorly lit paths and unsuitable infrastructure force women to tailor their journey home, specifically in the dark.
The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies public monitor states that 91% of Dutch women make behavioural adjustments, such as alternative routes and contacting someone when they arrive home, to ensure that their journey home is safer.
Aiming to tackle this problem, Utrecht University student Yeline Hoogmans (22) created and launched a personal women’s safety app, which went live this summer.
Hoogmans is part of the 41% of women who experience sexual harassment by any perpetrator since the age of 15 in the Netherlands (Gender Equality Index).
Her app, ASAP Safety, has been designed with women in mind. It serves as an easily accessible way to contact all of your friends and family at once, when feeling in danger.
Hoogmans, who was tired of feeling helpless said that: “The issue that I wanted to solve was that you could be able to notify all your friends at once through an app, instead of texting or calling everyone separately.
“I wanted to have an app that had all of the safety functions.”
So far, the app has over 100 downloads, but in order to develop the app further Yeline would like to grow her user base. The testing and focus is primarily in the Netherlands; however, the app is also accessible to those in Germany, Belgium, and the United States of America.
“I get a lot of messages from other women saying, ‘Thank you so much for this initiative, my friends do feel safer.’
“So that’s a great sign. I’m really excited to make it grow because I really do believe that this tool, it’s not a solution, it’s a tool. But this tool can really help women to feel safer and hopefully also be not scared to make that run outside or bike home at night or go on a date.” she said.
While digital tools provide an immediate sense of relief, the problem is much more deeply rooted and technology alone cannot solve it. Until systemic change and urban infrastructure catch up, the burden of safety continues to remain in the hands of women.
