British tech firm, imabi, has launched a first-of-a-kind app with the British Transport Police to help travellers report crime.
The Railway Guardian App is designed to encourage bystanders to report incidents of harassment or violence. It is part of the British Transport Police’s ‘Speak Up, Interrupt’ campaign tackling violence against women.
Features of the app allow users to access safety information and report incidents directly from their phones.
It also acts as a guide for what information to report when tackling sexual harassment and provides tips on how users can become active bystanders.
The Railways Guardian app is powered by British tech firm, imabi which provides safety apps across a range of sectors by tailoring its services to specific sectoral requirements.
The firm’s software is also available for educational environments with the ‘imabi inspire’ offering targeted at schools, colleges and universities.
‘imabi inspire’ allows students to report sexual harassment and violence without fear of ostracisation and grants staff the ability to monitor reports and identify issues sooner.
Across every industry offering, the software is centred around a messaging service putting users in touch with support teams. Insights then provide an understanding of usage trends.
Mark Balaam, CEO and Founder of imabi, said: “We’re encouraged by the ever-increasing awareness of sexual harassment across the general population, but the next step is to take action against it.
“It’s time that everyone felt able to speak up when they witness a crime and remove the burden of reporting from the victim.”
A British Transport Police spokesperson added: “We are able to extend the reach of our service, with everyone playing a role in ending unacceptable sexual violence across the transport network.
“Data provided to us by imabi will enable the identification of crime hotspots so our officers can target the perpetrators and bring them to justice”.
Anthony Smith, Chief Executive of the independent watchdog, Transport Focus said: “We know from our research that many women and girls would like to see improvements to make them feel safer on their journeys.
“Technology can play a vital role in making the railway safer for passengers so a new means to empower people to look out for each other is a very welcome development.”
Mr Balaam founded imabi with the safety of his young daughters in mind. It now works across education, business, community and public sector environments to allow its users to feel their voices are heard through the reporting of incidents and access to support.
