Request for Crimewatch Feature on Railway Guardian and imabi’s Role in Combating VAWG

Dear Crimewatch Team,

I hope this message finds you well. I am writing to propose a feature on BBC Crimewatch regarding the remarkable success of the Railway Guardian initiative in addressing Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) on the UK railways, powered by our award-winning imabi platform.

In partnership with British Transport Police (BTP), Railway Guardian has contributed to a 51% increase in reports of VAWG on trains over the past two years. Additionally, reports of sexual harassment have doubled to over 1,900, which underscores the effectiveness of imabi in encouraging victims to come forward and improving the overall reporting process.

Given the increase in reporting and the critical role this initiative has played in safeguarding women on public transport, we believe that a segment on Crimewatch would greatly help to raise awareness of the progress being made and encourage more victims to use these tools.

In addition, we are proud to partner with Crimestoppers, and in support of our shared goals, we would be delighted to donate our imabi community solution to facilitate Crimewatch's reporting. We can tailor the platform to act as a conduit for viewers to report cases featured on your program, while also enabling a seamless integration with Crimestoppers. The all-in-one approach of imabi would empower your audience to provide information easily and securely, branded to Crimewatch’s requirements and set up in no time at all.

As we continue to work alongside key partners such as White Ribbon, Crimestoppers, and the Women’s Night Safety Charter (WNSC), we are committed to changing attitudes, educating the public, and providing innovative tools to prevent incidents before they occur.

We would be delighted to collaborate with Crimewatch to highlight this initiative, the challenges of VAWG, and our mission to empower and protect individuals through responsible technology. Together, we can amplify our efforts to safeguard women and girls and ensure their safety across the UK.

For more context on imabi

imabi is an award-winning technology platform designed to empower individuals and communities by providing proactive tools and solutions to tackle issues like Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG), safeguarding, and overall wellbeing.

Here’s a breakdown of what imabi offers:

1. Safety and Reporting Platform

At its core, imabi is a reporting and safety platform that enables users to report incidents such as harassment, violence, or other safety concerns in real-time. The platform integrates with various stakeholders, including law enforcement, community organisations, and support networks, allowing for seamless communication and quicker response times. For instance, imabi powers Railway Guardian, a tool licensed by the British Transport Police (BTP), which has contributed to a 51% increase in the reporting of VAWG on public transport.

2. Trusted Partnerships

imabi works closely with key partners, such as Crimestoppers, White Ribbon, and the Women’s Night Safety Charter, ensuring the platform supports national safety initiatives and campaigns. The partnership with Crimestoppers enables individuals to provide anonymous tips, while collaborations with organisations like White Ribbon help to raise awareness and prevent violence through education and advocacy.

3. Customisable and Scalable Solution

A key strength of imabi is its flexibility. The platform can be customised and branded to meet the specific needs of different organisations or programmes. For instance, it could easily be tailored to fit Crimewatch’s requirements, allowing viewers to report tips or provide information about cases featured on the programme through a secure, branded interface. We could for instance provide the same reporting capability that we do in Railway Guardian for BTP, with the Crimewatch text number.  Fields can be tailored to provide a simple but structured reporting capability that will provide much more valuable analytical data to Crimewatch.

4. Empowerment through Technology

imabi is designed to empower users by offering easy-to-use tools that help them feel safer and more confident when reporting incidents. Features such as geolocation, real-time guidance, and partnerships with support agencies help create an environment where individuals can come forward without fear of stigma or inaction.

5. Focus on Prevention and Education

In addition to responding to immediate incidents, imabi takes a long-term view by focusing on prevention. Through its subsidiary CIC, imabi subsidises educational programmes for schools, aiming to shift cultural norms and prevent VAWG by educating young people. This proactive approach complements the platform's incident-reporting capabilities by aiming to stop violence and harassment before it starts.

6. Recognition and Awards

imabi has gained recognition for its innovative approach to safety and wellbeing. It has won multiple awards, including the Global EdTech Award for Best Wellbeing, Safeguarding, and Online Safety Platform. Its collaboration with British Transport Police for the Railway Guardian initiative has also been recognised for making significant strides in public safety.

7. National Expansion and Vision

imabi is not limited to the railway sector. It is currently attempting to align with  other police forces across the UK to explore a national rollout, which would extend the platform's capabilities to public spaces, local authorities, and other transport networks. This would provide a unified, national approach to tackling VAWG and other public safety issues, supported by a comprehensive, real-time data set. Working with Crimewatch on this initiative would provide law enforcement and Government with invaluable data sets to combat all types of crime.

8. Named for Personal Significance

The name “imabi” holds personal significance as it is named after the founder’s daughters, Imogen and Abigail. This reflects the desire to create a safer, more inclusive world for future generations. This personal connection underlines the platform’s commitment to safeguarding women and promoting social change.

Summary

In summary, imabi is a proactive and comprehensive platform that addresses both the immediate and long-term aspects of public safety, particularly focusing on preventing violence against women and girls. Through its technological solutions, strategic partnerships, and customisable, scalable approach, imabi aims to create safer environments, encourage reporting, and ultimately reduce incidents of violence and harassment in society.

Thank you for considering our proposal. We look forward to hearing from you.