Safer Plage app protects women from sexual harassment on the beach

A city in France has recently launched an app to protect women from sexual harassment at the beach.

Nobody should be made to feel uncomfortable or unsafe, but unfortunately sexual harassment is a hugely prevalent problem, especially for women.

According to a 2018 study conducted by IFOP (French Institute of Public Opinion), 81% of women have been sexually harassed in public places.

In an attempt to fight this problem, Marseilles city council has worked in collaboration with over 20 French feminist organisations to create an app which aims to make public beaches safer for women.

Safer Plage gives users three options- ‘I’m being bothered’, ‘I’m being harassed’, or ‘I’m in danger’- which alerts volunteer beach mediators to the situation. One mediator will support the user, whilst one will deal with the perpetrator.

One mediator explained that their priority, above all else, is to ensure women feel safe.

‘We ask her if she wants to come with us to the first aid station to take her to safety, discuss and describe the facts to us.’