Dusseldorf – Horror in your own four walls: Victims of domestic violence are often caught in a martyrdom, even cell phones are controlled by many tormentors. As a way out, the state of North Rhine-Westphalia had a camouflage app developed. Hidden help on the smartphone!
Offers from the NRW victim protection portal are hidden behind a thematically inconspicuous app.
NRW Home Minister Ina Scharrenbach (45, CDU) presented the new app
“NRW is breaking new ground in victim protection,” said Minister Ina Scharrenbach (45, CDU) on Wednesday when the app was presented, the development of which cost around 140,000 euros. It offers different camouflages to choose from and is also available offline. Domestic violence has recently increased by 5.5 percent.
Perpetrators did not shy away from checking the victims’ smartphones. When called up, the camouflage app will therefore initially present inconspicuous everyday topics.
How the camouflage app works
Only after entering a code can the user access advice offers or emergency numbers. In the event of danger, this area can be exited with a single click – and the perpetrator cannot then access it.
The app offers a help area with emergency numbers that can be dialed directly in acute situations. On the other hand, it offers a counseling center finder through a district or topic-related search.
The offers include advice centers, places of refuge, telephone hotlines, information material, trauma clinics and much more. The third building block would be important information on topics such as anonymous forensics, human trafficking, domestic violence, bullying, violence in care or forced marriage.
The camouflage app can be loaded onto the smartphone by calling up the victim protection portal NRW. The content is not only available in German, but also in English, French, Turkish, Arabic, Ukrainian and Russian.