Safe Steps platform launched for reporting unsafe places in Novi Sad

Residents of Novi Sad can now anonymously mark places where they experienced violence, harassment, discrimination or simply felt unsafe, even when no specific incident occurred.

The Safe Steps platform, launched by the Novi Sad youth group of Jazas, records individual experiences on a map. Organizers hope that repeated reports will show whether problems recur at particular locations.

Project author Varvara Lazarević said experiences such as avoiding a passageway or park for years because it feels unsafe should not be dismissed because no physical attack took place. “If someone avoids a particular passageway or park for years because they do not feel safe there, that is an experience that should not automatically be dismissed just because no physical attack occurred,” she told portal 021.

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If someone avoids a particular passageway or park for years because they do not feel safe there, that is an experience that should not automatically be dismissed just because no physical attack occurred.

Users do not need to register or provide personal information. The platform is available in 20 languages and directs people to services and organizations that can provide help, depending on the situation. Lazarević said a single report represents one person’s experience, while multiple reports can expose a pattern that is harder to ignore.

The data could support research, discussions with institutions and proposals for changes to public spaces, including better lighting and other safety measures. The project focuses especially on women and girls, while remaining open to all residents. Lazarević criticized the tendency to place responsibility for women’s safety on women themselves, through advice to change routes, avoid traveling alone or simply be more careful.

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One report is someone's experience. A larger number of reports can show a pattern. And a pattern is much harder to ignore.