Mobile app to assist rape survivors

A MOBILE phone application piloted in Pretoria last year could assist rape survivors in confidentially evaluating the assistance received from institutions meant to support them.

South Africa has high rates of sexual violence, with 51 895 cases of rape reported to the police in 2016, which is equivalent to 143 cases per day.

There is known to be gaps in services to rape survivors and variations in practice.

The methodology and scope of the mobile app was presented on the second day of the eighth South African Aids Conference at the Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban yesterday.

Describing the app, Nomsa Mahlalela from the Foundation for Professional Development said that because it ran on USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) (for example: *000* 0000#).

It required no installation and left no message trail should a shared phone be used.

The app also required no data due to its front-loading capacity. It allowed rape survivors to rate on domains of satisfaction (staff, services, physical environment, information and advice) and the staff domain allowed the selection of services providers to rate (health, police, court).

“The study found a very high mobile phone coverage and significantly high access and personal ownership and use and high levels of familiarity with using USSD,” said Mahlalela.

Study participants showed a keen interest to participate in confidential surveys about quality of post-rape care services received using the proposed app, which provided quick feedback, added Mahlalela.

The survey used 140 respondents from rape care centres in Gauteng. Most of the respondents were aged between 18 and 29 and showed a high level of comfort using social media.

At the conclusion of the pilot study in July, the application was handed to the National Prosecuting Authority for consideration. Mahlalela added: “It is now their responsibility.” – ANA