Wed. Dec 4th, 2024

This isn’t quite on topic, but I found it interesting. The Aphrodite Project offers quite a different concept – platform shoes embedded with a GPS system designed specifically to assist in the safety concerns of sex workers.

Their website also advertises a community function where “Each sex worker will have their own login to program their shoes, access email, and post information on problem customers”.

prostitute_shoes.jpg

From their website: Each sandal will have an audible alarm system, which emits a piercing noise to scare off attackers. The shoes are also outfitted with a built in GPS receiver and an emergency button that relays both the prostitute’s location and a silent alarm signal to public emergency services. Where there are problematic relations with law enforcement, i.e. most places, the shoes will relay the signal to sex workers’ rights groups, such as PONY in New York, COYOTE in Los Angeles, or SWEAT in South Africa. Because the shoes are specifically designed to help both sex workers and sex workers’ rights organizations, I am speaking with sex workers and as many of their advocates as possible to assess the actual needs of these user groups in urban areas.