South African Telecom App Helps Gender-Based Violence Survivors

JOHANNESBURG - Jeanine, 53, a South African woman who did not want to use her family name for this interview, was in an abusive relationship for two years. It got worse when her boyfriend lost work because of the coronavirus pandemic and took his frustrations out on her.

Jeanine recalled in anguish those dark moments of her relationship, not knowing what to do. “He was mean and nasty and cruel and wanted to hurt me, physically, emotionally, verbally, mentally. They make you financially dependent on them. Then you think, ‘Where am I going to go? There is nowhere to go. What do I do?’ ” To help Jeanine and other survivors of gender-based violence, the South African telecom company Vodacom, along with its British parent company Vodafone and the charity Hestia, launched a mobile application, Bright Sky, in November.