How SOSS Aims To Help In The Fight Against Gender Based Violence
How SOSS Aims To Help In The Fight Against Gender Based Violence. SOSS is a smart device app that has been developed to curb the rise of GBV cases by giving victims and those at risk a tool to ask for help. SOSS is the brainchild of Co-Founder and CEO Thabo Nonkenge and his business partners.
Nonkenge saw a need for the community to be active and cause interference by taking action against violence. He told Just Trimmings that, “The idea of SOSS was born out of our sincere belief that people are inherently good and that we can always rely on ubuntu in fighting societal ills, I come from a family dominated by women. I am the only son and I have been exposed to the general culture of violence in our society. We are a country that believes in ubuntu and the thinking is to enhance the power of technology and bringing back ubuntu by giving people a safe way to intervene.”
According to Just Trimmings, the crowd-share safety platform connects the user, a volunteer network of nearby responders and protectors. The network of responders and protectors is made up of not only the user’s personalised list of emergency contacts, but also sends an SOS call for help to nearby emergency response services and to community members who have signed up to be active allies and protectors. The SOS call is silent and only alerts responders and protectors, which is safe to use without alerting the perpetrator. A long press of a button and help can be on the way.
The app has been in the works for a year and the app is finally going live. SOSS hopes to bridge the gap between first responders and those in need of help. But, also ensure that users across the country feel safer now that they know there’s such a safety platform. The app not only alerts emergency services and protectors, but stores data that can be used as evidence once a case has been opened to assist victims and have more convictions.
