【Watch The War of the World】

After a 23-year-old woman died from being brutally gang-rapedon a bus in New Delhi,Watch The War of the World India back in 2012, ElsaMarie D'Silva — an aviation professional turned social entrepreneur — was compelled to join the global conversation surrounding sexual violence against women.

In hopes of making cities safer for women, D'Silva and a group of friends developed Safecity — an app that crowdsources and documents incidents of sexual harassment and assault that occur in public spaces.

SEE ALSO: #AintNoCinderella: Why women in India are sharing midnight selfies on social media

"The idea is to have this information in the public domain so women and girls can connect with each other over these stories," D'Silva said at Mashable'sSocial Good Summit on Sunday.

The digital platform encourages women to speak up about sexual assault and share their own personal experiences so that specifics — such as place, time, and type of harassment — can be compiled and learned from. The information is then placed on an interactive map to help reveal location-based trends and provide travelers with advanced safety insight.

The reports can, of course, be anonymous, but the more specific the details related to the incident are, the more helpful Safecity becomes. Ultimately, when locations are reported, hot spots — or areas where several incidents of harassment have been documented — can be aggregated on the map.

Via Giphy

According to Safecity’s website, users have the ability check the severity levels of hotspot areas. And while you can also sign up for alerts, reviewing the map allows people to search certain locations and categories of harassment to help decide when to travel, what to wear, what method of transportation to use, and if extra precautions, such as bringing companions, should be considered.

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The app allows people to upload photos and video in reports, and it also works as a communication platform, uniting women who've had similar experiences and providing them with a safe space to share advice with and support one another.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

According to the site, since launching back in 2012 D'Silva and her team have collected more than 10,000 stories from over 50 cities in India, Kenya, Cameroon, and Nepal.

"Initially the stories came in a trickle. But then they began flowing in, from all over India," D'Silva wrote in a March blog post. "Stories about men’s verbal sexual harassment on the streets, groping on the trains, and leering at tea stalls. Some incidents women shared were from as long ago as 20 years. I read each and every one of them. I felt my heart breaking with every story."

As Safecity continues to spread, D'Silva noted that the team is working to expand the platform to the United States, along with places like Trinidad and Tobago, and Nigeria.

"Acknowledging that it happened is the first step towards seeking help," D'Silva said during her panel. "I think it’s very important to document all these stories ... If we don’t acknowledge it, it never happened."

"Start talking about it and make it an issue that’s non-taboo."

About Social Good Summit

The intersection of technology and new media has redefined our understanding of human progress. In the midst of this rapidly changing world, the Social Good Summit focuses on where we’re headed. Held annually during the United Nations General Assembly week, the Summit unites a lively community of global citizens and progressive thought leaders around a common theme: #2030NOW. A dynamic exploration of the world we want to live in by 2030, the Social Good Summit will focus on how we can unlock technology’s potential to make the world a better place.

This year's summit is brought to you by Mashable, the United Nations Foundation, the United Nations Development Programme, and the 92nd Street Y. For complete event details, visit socialgoodsummit.com.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

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