In the Philippines, there remains a stigma for victims of sexual harassment. Many women still stay quiet for fear of being judged, or they’re afraid to speak out about what happened. This is why women’s group Gabriela launched Gabbie, an anti-sexual harassment chatbot that aims to make it easier for victims to seek help.
What is an anti-sexual harassment chatbot?
Gabbie was developed to help encourage victims of sexual harassment to speak up and seek help.
The chatbot is easy to use, and it’s as simple as sending a message to Gabbie on Facebook.
Gabbie will ask what type of harassment the person experienced, and then will respond with an explanation. Gabbie was also coded with information based on Philippine law, and can identify which law was violated.
If the user wants to lodge a complaint against the sex offender, Gabbie will then ask a number of questions, all of which will remain confidential. Once the needed information has been provided, the file can be printed or downloaded. The file can then be submitted to a lawyer, a company’s HR department, or government agencies to file a formal complaint.
It can also be forwarded directly to Gabriela so that they can be the ones to help out the victim.
It’s not just limited to women
In the spirit of equality, men who have also suffered sexual harassment can take advantage of Gabbie.
Male sexual harassment, while rare, does indeed happen, and most men tend to not talk about it for fear of being perceived as “weak.”
As of now, Gabbie’s capabilities are still limited, as she can only understand English. She also can’t respond to diverse questions, as she can only respond to sexual harassment complaints.
Regardless, Gabbie is still making a difference and helping victims find a voice and empower themselves.
Source: ABS-CBN News
READ: Senator Risa Hontiveros pushing for anti-catcalling and anti-public harassment law
