Halo / MA Project
Mapping Harassment: Empowering Women Through Data in Metro Manila
Halo is speculative mobile app that crowdsources reports of street harassment in Metro Manila—transforming women’s stories into a map of safety, awareness, and collective action.
✶ Type: Speculative Concept / Academic Project
✶ Timeline: 5 weeks (2023)
This project was developed as the final requirement for a Master’s degree and explores how digital tools can support women’s safety in Metro Manila. The app enables users to report street harassment incidents, visualize risk areas, and raise awareness of the Safe Spaces Act through community-driven data.
One such problem is Street Harassment, which happens to be the most frequent form of harassment faced by women in their daily lives.
Street Harassment
or unwanted sexual attention is experienced by many women in different cities around the world.
catcalling ⬩ wolf-whistling⬩sexist remarks⬩unwanted touching⬩misogynistic slurs⬩sexual name-calling⬩uninvited sexual comments⬩public masturbation⬩flashing⬩lewd sexual actions⬩sexual jokes⬩cursing⬩leering⬩intrusive gazing⬩taunting⬩groping⬩stalking
The inequality between men and women is ultimately responsible for the existence of street harassment.The Filipino culture perpetuates sexism and misogyny through teaching women, from a young age..
→ to disregard unwanted advances from men
→ accept blame for harassment or rape
→ remain quiet to avoid embarrassment, and
→ staying vigilant in public is their best protection from harmful men.
The Problem
As a result, perpetrators of street harassment often go unchecked and continue to engage in this behavior without facing serious consequences.
My Goal
To motivate women to openly discuss street harassment, with the objective of reducing the negative associations and embarrassment associated with it.
Understanding my Users
I conducted an online survey with 35 participants who were women who live and/or work in Metro Manila.
The percentage of respondents who have experienced harassment in public spaces in Metro Manila
The percentage of respondents who are familiar with the Safe Spaces Act**
The percentage of respondents who know other women who have filed a lawsuit under the said legislation
**The Republic Act 11313, also known as the Safe Spaces Act, is a Philippine law that aims to protect women and children from all forms of gender-based street and public spaces harassment. The law imposes penalties for offenders and requires government agencies and local government units to take measures to prevent and address such harassment.
Product design and features
A digital platform that enables women to report incidents that they have encountered, with the primary purpose of documenting them. Halo aims to empower women to take action against harassment and to promote safety and security in their communities.
‘Halo’ is often associated with angelic figures and protection. The responsibilities and goals of the product align with this connotation as it provides a range of features designed to enhance personal safety of the users.
Incident Reporting
Submit a comprehensive incident report, including the video footage captured by the Halo Ring as a supporting evidence.
➡️ An easy-to-use form for documenting street harassment incidents whenever the user is ready.
➡️ Maintain a record of crucial information from the experience for later use.
User Safety
to detect the user's location and send safety alerts through phone notifications and a mild Halo Ring vibration when the user enters an area with a high number of reported incidents.
➡️ Reported incidents are shown in an interactive map. Incidents shown in the map can be filtered by date and offense type.
➡️ Allows the user to take informed action based on data analysis to ensure personal safety.
Raise Awareness
The user can access real-time data on reported incidents of street harassment in her current location.
It is also important for women to be aware of their rights in public spaces. The Safe Space Act has a special place in the platform.
💞 Lastly, a public chat is generated for each report to encourage women to build connections and establish a supportive network who will offer help and support when needed.