How tech is delivering security when seconds count in the fight against GBV
Dipesh Radia
The annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign acts as a societal mirror, forcing us to confront and address the urgent need for physical and emotional safety in our communities. It’s a powerful movement advocating for a South Africa where every individual, particularly women and children, can feel secure at home and on the street.
While the right to physical security is a fundamental right, the conversation must expand to acknowledge that resilience and overall security are not possible without multiple layers of protection.
As we actively educate and mobilise against violence in all its many forms, we must also advocate for solutions that provide immediate, tangible protection. Technology, when integrated effectively, can serve as a vital lifeline, offering rapid, reliable intervention in moments of extreme danger.
Since its launch in 2019, Safety Alert has intervened in a total of 69 gender-based violence-related incidents including 50 domestic disputes, 18 domestic violence incidents and 1 case of sexual assault. Each incident recorded through the system represents a real-world activation where safety technology and rapid response helped protect clients in moments of danger.
Our data shows the increasing demand for and reliance on this type of intervention. In 2019, for example, only one gender-based violence incident was recorded through the system. The past six years, however, have seen a steady increase. Over the past five years, GBV-related alerts have risen steadily, peaking between 2022 and 2023 with 15 and 18 incidents respectively. Critically, the system demonstrates an effective intervention capability for these high-risk incidents, with an average response and resolution time of just two hours. This rapid resolution time underscores the effectiveness of immediate technological intervention in protecting clients facing threats at home.
At the heart of an integrated security strategy is a commitment to protecting physical safety as part of overall wellbeing. This is why we have developed and enhanced the Safety Alert feature on the Momentum App. The efficacy of this rapid-response technology is demonstrated by its use in real-world high-risk situations, particularly those related to gender-based violence (GBV).
Safety Alert is designed to provide immediate, real-time help at the touch of a button. Simple to initiate, the user presses the Safety Alert digital panic button on the Momentum App for just two seconds. This action instantly connects the user to a control centre agent who will dispatch immediate help.
The feature provides round-the-clock access to help 365 days of the year, ensuring assistance is available whenever danger arises. The system leverages a national network of emergency responders registered across South Africa. A real-time interactive map tracks the responding vehicle’s movement, providing transparency and ensuring the user knows exactly where help is in relation to their location. To ensure the security net extends to loved ones, policyholders can nominate one additional user to benefit from the Safety Alert feature at no extra cost.
This technology is a tangible commitment to protecting human lives, in addition to assets, ensuring that when moments matter most, professional help is only seconds away.
Actively securing one's future through security protection and risk management is a proactive step towards lasting safety and independence. It means moving beyond simply hoping for the best and instead, actively planning for the unexpected. It’s about creating a personal ecosystem that is both resilient and responsive.
The safety conversation in South Africa needs to evolve beyond only speaking out against violence to actively promoting integrated protection that addresses threats to physical wellbeing. By offering tools like the Safety Alert alongside comprehensive risk protection, we live our promise to be a brand that understands security in its entirety - physical, emotional, and financial.
