Domestic violence in Latin America is a problem that authorities are struggling to combat, with the latest initiative being the use of GPS cell phone tracking software. In São Paulo, Brazil's largest city, a woman is assaulted every 15 minutes. In Colombia, acid attacks against women quadrupled between 2011 and 2012, and El Salvador has the highest rate of femicide (murders based on the female sex of the victim) in the world. Violence against women is a sobering and frustrating problem; one that phone trackers might help improve – or that is the hope.
Latin American countries are approaching the problem differently (some have not initiated the use of cell-phone tracking) via laws, awareness, and specialized police stations for victims. These stations allow a safe place for women to come, receive medical attention, and report crimes. They also often provide legal advice and psychological counseling. The UN reports that these stations have been effective in increasing the number of reported domestic violence cases (which are often left unreported). Special courts for prosecuting domestic crime cases have also been set up in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina.
These courts and centers are great resources for the problem of violence toward women in Latin America, however they aren't of much assistance in the moment a woman is being assaulted. That's where phone tracking technology really makes a difference.
GPS Tracker Apps
GPS cell phone tracking is now saving lives in Latin America thanks to the enactment of several federal laws against femicide, such as that declared in Chile in 2010.
Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina are three countries that have approached this problem using the latest GPS cell phone tracking technology. National and local government have started to distribute panic buttons to abused women. These buttons use GPS tracker app information to quickly track down the victim who pressed the button.
When used, the GPS tracker allows police to find and assist the woman in need much more quickly than other types of communication.
Using cell tracking technology is an efficient way to use resources to immediately help a woman who is being attached or harassed. All the victim has to do is press her panic button, and police are instantly notified and given GPS tracking information to aid them in their search for the woman. This means that a woman being abused no longer has to suffer through it and then try to get help – she receives immediate attention through the GPS tracking of her panic button.
Conclusion
The prevalence of violence – particularly domestic violence against women – is a serious problem in many Latin American countries. However, with the help of government initiatives like victim stations, special courts, and new laws, the problem is slowly being addressed. One of the most exciting ways domestic violence is being combated is through the use of GPS cell phone tracking technology. Through cell tracking on their panic buttons, women in Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina now have access to authorities when they need it the most.