“SafetiPin” audits show poor security for women

Every area gets a safety score based on information given by users

Little seems to have changed in the capital after the huge outpouring of anger at the gang rape of December 2012. According to an analysis by SafetiPin — a map-based application that allows you to share your view of the safety of your neighbourhood — security continues to be poor in New Delhi, despite noises made to the contrary.

SafetiPin, designed by Ashish Basu and Kalpana Viswanath, promotes the interactive app launched in the capital in November 2013 and, later, in several other cities including Bangalore, Guwahati, Chennai, Trivandrum, Kochi and Pune with partner NGOs. It allows people to judge if a certain public place in the city is safe, based on nine parameters including availability of light, openness, visibility, gender diversity and proximity of public transport.

Safetipin also collects data based on meetings with stakeholders and civic authorities.

Positive impact The South west district police in Delhi have issued a newsletter based on the findings of Safetipin in the area and called a meeting of residents to improve security. The police are reworking patrol routes based on the information.

Ms. Viswanath said that the idea was not to measure crime but the fear factor. “Does a woman feel safe in a public place or not, is she fearful?” she asked.

Safetipin has done an analysis of about 10,000 spots in New Delhi and each spot has a safety score. The audits were all conducted in the evening between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. Respondents have given below average ratings for parameters such as availability of light, openness, walk paths and public transportation.

The app uses ‘pins’ to indicate the level of safety — green for safe, amber for less safe and red for unsafe. It allows the user to record instances of harassment or hazards and gives location information like timings of shops, availability of autorickshaws and general directions.