Harassment: Truecaller is a technology company of Swedish origin. We have been present in Kenya and across the world for over 10 years now. Our commitment to technological innovation and bringing technology to the masses is reflected in over 270 million active users trusting us globally.
It is with great pride that we inform you that Truecaller launched a nationwide campaign titled #ItsNotOk aimed at supporting women in acting against phone call/SMS based harassment. The campaign is in continuation of the utmost priority to the safety of the women in the country and is a testament to Truecaller’s relentless pursuit of ideas that safeguard the interests of women through community-based action.
Over the years, we have received countless complaints and feedback on the issue of harassment through calls and messages. Owing to the lack of research available on this topic and the significant increase in the cases of harassment, we took on the responsibility ourselves.
As per the latest edition of Truecaller Insights: Understanding the Impact of Harassment Calls & SMS for Women in Kenya in March 2020, 1 in 5 women reported receiving sexual or inappropriate calls, but only 2 out of 10 women have said to have taken some action against harassers. In the list of actions, they told us, reporting to law enforcement or authorities there a 6% dismal chance.
Today, over 1 million women in Kenya use Truecaller as their first line of defence against calls and SMS based harassment. As part of this edition of the campaign, we have taken up print publications and outdoor sites to spread the message. The primary objective of the campaign is to get more women to report such harassment, that occurs through phone calls and SMS, to the right authorities without any fear.
Our website: www.truecaller.com/itsnotok-ke has been the resource centre for our campaign over the last few years and has a wealth of information including the full report, resources on what action women can take along with real and unscripted interviews of real women from across the world who faced such harassment and want to tell their stories.
The following are links to the discussions around call and SMS sexual harassment we have had with women and men across the country (links to Truecaller YouTube channel & Switch TV)
Kenyans React to Sexual Harassment Questions: https://youtu.be/gT0_9NvrGLs
Roundtable with Victims and Experts: tclr.se/398vVZH
