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Two young Indian women have come up with an innovative way to combat their country’s pervasive ‘Women’s Safety’ issues, and a way to be able to do so at a very effective low cost: they have produced a pair of high-tech jeans.
Students Diksha Pathak, 21, and Anjali Srivastava, 23, of Varanasi in India, designed a pair of red pants outfitted with a small electronic button that sends a distress call to the nearest police station when pressed. The signal also acts as a tracker, so police can rush straight to the victim’s exact location.
Outraged by the prevalence of sexual violence against women in India, students Diksha Pathak and Anjali Srivastava have created the high-tech pair of jeans designed to prevent rape.
There are already as many as 200 police stations capable of receiving the alarm in Varanasi and its surrounding areas. Tests will be carried out over the coming months, and lawmakers may press for the technology to be expanded nationwide if they’re successful.
Newsivity
One of the creators demonstrated the functionality of the jeans for us:
“We have been thinking of making this device for a long time,” Pathak, a science student told us.
“My father is often making himself ill with worry each time I am coming home late.”
Pathak joined forces with Srivastava, who is studying electronic communication, to invent the device, which lasts for about three months before the batteries need to be replaced. The anti-rape jeans cost less than 43 cents to create and so affordable for everyone.
“These terrible gang rapes of women that we have heard so much about recently shocked me and my colleague to the very core. Hopefully no other women will have to suffer if they are wearing our clothing.”
Sexual violence in India has garnered widespread attention there and abroad after a number of high profile incidences having taken place across many regions of the country. As much as many critics may imply that the country does not have an issue, it is clear that amongst many sections of Indian society, there is much intervention needed to address a number of underlying society issues related to women’s safety. The proactive efforts of the two students is incredibly commendable, and perfect to showcase on the annual day recognised the world over as ‘International Women’s Day’. It is not only a day of celebrating the success of women the world over, but also encouraging further focus on areas that need much more efforts from both men and women working together.
Newsivity
According to Indian government statistics, a rape occurs every 22 minutes in the country and despite much efforts being made by local states to improve safety issues for women and young girls as well as teenagers in general; it is felt that much more can be done.
We wish Diksha and Anjali all the very best with this project, and commend their proactive actions to make a positive difference!! Sometimes, that’s all it takes to make a big impact, and quite often, it is local community members with the right skill-set who can come up with solutions that could work very well locally, if not even nationally such as in this case.
Filmed by: Sandeep Kumar ()
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