ATM-Like Kiosk Allows Reporting Of Sexual Harassment

ODISHA, India -- Authorities in the Indian state of Odisha estimate that 60% of all cases involving sexual assault, domestic abuse and harassment against women go unreported. To help solve that problem, Joydeep Nayak, the head of the Odisha's police human rights unit, has come up with the idea of a kiosk that allows women to report such crimes.

The ICLIK was developed jointly by the Odisha authorities and local tech company OCAC. A test unit, located in a bank, allows women to report assault or harassment, 24 hours a day. Touchscreen prompts guide users through the reporting process in a choice of three languages: English, Hindi and Oriya, a regional Indo-Aryan dialect. Reports are made anonymously.

Since it was placed on location, the ATM-like machine has logged an average of five incidents a day. Authorities are interested in locating additional kiosks throughout Odisha.

PHOTO:Kiosk in India allows women to report sexual harassment and assault incidents. Once a report is logged, law enforcement authorities follow up in the traditional manner of face-to-face interviews.