Credits: Izma Azeem Chughtai
Pakistani women are in a vulnerable position in society and the abuse and harassment against them are increasing daily. In these desperate times, women stick with each other. Here are a few tips for you to adopt and try to ensure safety for the women around you.
1. WhatsApp Live Location
This is the best way to keep a check on a friend, family member, and loved one if they are safe or in danger. It is best to ALWAYS have balance and internet on your phone, and send your live location to someone close to you. Or make a group of friends and send the location when any of you are leaving the house for any reason. Please make sure you send it to a trusted friend if you are leaving your house without telling your parents, or are sneaking out.
2. Life 360
This free app is a lifesaver and works well to keep tabs on each other. Download it on your phone, make a family group, and include the numbers of all your loved ones, and make sure your internet is on when you leave the house so you can be detected 24/7!
3. bSafe
This app for women's safety serves the concept of linking guardians to inform them of emergencies. Initiating SOS features can automatically begin the video recording as well. Furthermore, to make it handier to use, there are voice expressions that you can utilize to command the app. You do not even have to touch the phone to warn people in case of an emergency.
4. Build trust and support each other
This is cliché advice, but creating a space of trust and reliability is important for women right now. If women can’t trust men, and women then where would they go? Please become a pillar of strength for other women, do not go against anyone so there can be a community that helps and supports each other at every point in life.
5. Pepper Spray/ Tasers/Knives are all at your service.
Keep items to defend yourself with you at all times, this includes Pepper Sprays, Tasers, and sharp objects that can only harm the offender. Make sure to keep them in your bags and pockets at all times, and learn how to use them without harming yourself.
6. Record, Record, and Record!
If you are being followed, or see someone else being harassed please take out your phone and hit the record button. In this time of modern technology, photos and videos are the greatest tool in recording evidence and proof against people trying to harm others. It is important to always remind yourself to record the offender, so he can feel unsafe and think before crossing boundaries.