In Greece, the number of women reporting domestic violence to police has more than doubled in just three years, from 4,310 in 2020 to over 12,000 in 2023. In Cyprus, recorded cases involving women victims have nearly tripled since 2019, rising from 933 to 2,614 in 2022 alone. Beyond the home, the EU’s 2021 Gender-Based Violence Survey finds that 36.5% of women in Greece and 36.1% in Cyprus have experienced physical or sexual violence (including threats) by any perpetrator in their lifetime, often on streets, in parks, or on public transport.
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, helpline call volumes surged by 30% in Cyprus and by over 200% in Greece. Women were looking for help, but help was not always nearby.
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It was against this backdrop of rising vulnerability and often delayed responses that Dimitra Rotsa Andreou began reimagining what women’s safety could look like in the digital age. Frustrated by the gap between awareness and action, she founded INSAVIOR: not as another panic-button app, but as a living safety network built by women, for women. Verified, women-only, and identity-secured, INSAVIOR transforms the instinct to help into immediate, coordinated support, whether through a discreet alert to trusted contacts, a request for a nearby woman to walk you home, or a full SOS that mobilizes your entire safety circle in real-time.
But INSAVIOR is more than an emergency response. Now an award-winning movement with roots in Cyprus and Greece, INSAVIOR challenges a fundamental truth: that no woman should have to face danger alone, and that solidarity, when activated swiftly and securely, can be life-saving.
In this interview with The Future Media, Dimitra Rotsa Andreou speaks about turning lived fear into collective protection, the power of verified trust in a digital world, and why the future of women’s safety must be built by women themselves.
What does the reality of women’s safety look like in Greece and Cyprus right now?
Unfortunately, women’s safety in Greece and Cyprus reflects a growing global concern, with the last few years seeing a significant increase in harassment, abuse, and violence both in public and private spaces. We’ve seen awareness rise, but action remains fragmented. Many women still feel unsafe walking home, using public transport, or even speaking up after an incident. The fear is silent but constant, and what’s missing is an immediate, trustworthy, and actionable system that can provide an avenue for that fear to turn into collective protection.
How did you come into the work on women’s safety?
It started from a deep sense of frustration and empathy. As women, we’ve all experienced moments of fear, the unease of walking alone at night, being followed, or not being believed when something happens.
There was a lot of talk online around women’s safety, but that’s where action stopped. Technology wasn’t truly serving women in those critical moments; the exchange was happening only after the fact.
There was a gap, and I knew something had to be done. That’s when the idea for INSAVIOR was born. Not from theory, but from lived experience and an urgent need for real and practical solutions.
What was missing from the women’s safety environment, and what led you to move from being an observer of the problem to deciding to build a solution?
There’s a dangerous time gap between the moment a woman feels threatened and the moment official help arrives.
Police need time to get to the location. A woman in danger doesn’t have that time. Her only chance of getting out of a situation safely is turning to her surroundings, especially other women nearby who can help. There was no other system that bridged that gap in the market. INSAVIOR was created to close it, turning solidarity into real-time, life-saving action.
For someone hearing about INSAVIOR for the first time, what is the main mission of the platform?
INSAVIOR is built by women, for women. Our mission is to turn empathy into immediate, coordinated action and to eliminate the bystander effect that so often leaves women (feeling) isolated in moments of fear or danger.
The app is a living, breathing safety network. If you feel unsafe, whether you are at home, walking down the street, or even waiting for a ride, you can instantly connect with your trusted contacts, verified nearby women, and, if needed, emergency responders.
But it’s not just about panic alerts. We designed INSAVIOR to provide a holistic approach to safety.
That’s why we have different levels of support:
- In a high-risk situation, you can trigger the “Instant SOS alert” that alerts your emergency contacts (which can include men) and nearby verified users (women). They will automatically receive a notification with your live location and route, and a group chat will be opened for real-time coordination until you’re safe.
- If you’re feeling uneasy, maybe you’re walking home alone at night, and you are unsure about someone on your path, you can tap the “Escort” button, which is a medium-level alert. This will notify nearby women of your live location, and they can escort you to your destination or guide you remotely through a secure live chat.
- If you prefer total discretion, you can send a private alert to your “Emergency Contacts Only,” without sharing it with the wider network of nearby verified users.
Beyond emergency responses, INSAVIOR hosts a safe and supportive space for women to share their experiences anonymously on the Community Page. It also offers users emotional and practical guidance from professionals, self-defense tutorials, and even in-person classes through our partnership with Combat Krav Maga schools in Larnaca and Limassol. We currently have over two hundred educational resources on gender issues, empowerment, mental health, and social awareness, because safety is more than just physical: it’s also emotional, social, and systemic.
Safety is our priority, which is why all our users are ID-verified and 18 years old or over. Access to the platform requires a passcode or Face ID. Even ending an SOS requires your passcode, so you always have complete control.
INSAVIOR is the first women-only safety app on the market. But it’s much more than that. We are an award-winning movement, a community built for protection, solidarity, and women’s empowerment, built on the belief that when women stand together, safety becomes collective.
High danger alerts share live location with nearby members and trusted contacts. How do you balance speed with verification to avoid risk or false positives?
Speed is, of course, critical in an emergency, but it is only useful if the response is trustworthy. That is why INSAVIOR has built verification at every step. Our community is women-only, and every member is identity-verified through government documentation to make sure they are real women and are 18 and over. There are no anonymous accounts and no bots.
Our system filters responses to prioritize proximity and credibility, while built-in protocols prevent users from rushing into risk. When a high-danger alert goes out, it’s sent only to women who have gone through the verification process and are physically close, so help can arrive fast but from people you can rely on. We also have safeguards to prevent well-meaning users from putting themselves into a dangerous situation. The app guides responders on how to assist the alerter safely, whether that’s calling the authorities, staying in communication, or approaching with caution.
Like I said, speed matters, but trust matters more — so we’ve designed both into every layer.
The app is for women only 18+, and requires ID verification at signup. What have you learned from that choice?
We quickly realized it’s essential. It creates trust. When a woman knows that every user inside INSAVIOR is real and verified, it transforms the whole dynamic of interaction. They feel comfortable sharing stories they’ve wanted to be open about but have been too afraid to before. They respond to alerts rather than ignore a situation because they know that the person on the other end is real and in need of their support.
It’s not about exclusion — it’s about protection.
Verification also acts as a powerful deterrent for malicious intent. There is no hiding behind a fake profile. That accountability is what makes the community feel safe enough to be vulnerable without being at risk. They are more open to sharing, supporting, and responding.
How are you connecting the app to existing support systems in Greece and Cyprus?
INSAVIOR doesn’t replace official help — it complements and strengthens it. When an alert is triggered, the app automatically notifies the user’s emergency contacts and verified women nearby, who can also contact the police immediately.
This way, everyone becomes part of a coordinated safety network — ensuring that incidents are noticed, support reaches faster, and there is awareness of whether official response teams arrive on time. INSAVIOR bridges the gap between the victim, the community, and the authorities — because safety is a shared responsibility.
What is your policy on data retention and privacy?
At INSAVIOR, privacy is a fundamental principle. We never sell, share, or misuse personal data under any circumstances. Our data handling practices are fully compliant with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and all applicable data protection frameworks.
Users retain full control over their personal information, including the right to access, modify, or permanently delete their data at any time. Upon user request or account deletion, all associated data is irreversibly removed from our systems without delay.
We maintain only temporary, encrypted system logs for legitimate audit, security, and abuse-prevention purposes. These logs are automatically purged after a short retention period.
We believe that safety, transparency, and respect for privacy are inseparable pillars of responsible digital stewardship.
What safeguards are in place to prevent harassment or abuse of the platform?
INSAVIOR employs a multi-layered safeguarding framework that combines advanced technology, human oversight, and a robust security infrastructure. Our protection measures include verified identity processes, AI-driven behavioral analysis, and proactive moderation protocols to detect and prevent harassment, abuse, or other forms of misconduct. Any suspicious activity triggers immediate investigation and, where necessary, enforcement actions to ensure user safety.
Beyond user-facing protections, INSAVIOR operates within a fully secured digital environment that leverages state-of-the-art infrastructure hardening practices, continuous vulnerability assessments, and strict access controls. All systems are protected by enterprise-grade encryption, intrusion detection, and monitoring mechanisms that align with industry best practices and cybersecurity standards.
Our moderation and support teams work in real-time to uphold a respectful and trustworthy community. INSAVIOR exists to empower and protect its users—especially women—by providing a platform that is secure by design and safety by default.
How will you make INSAVIOR accessible to as many women as possible?
Accessibility is one of our core pillars. INSAVIOR is available in both Greek and English, and compatible across all new devices. But accessibility isn’t just about technology — it’s about connection and awareness.
We’re growing through women with strong networks who act as INSAVIOR ambassadors, as well as companies, universities, key community figures, and live empowerment events. We also collaborate with mass media, TV programs, magazines, and digital platforms to bring our message to every corner of society.
We believe that safety is a shared responsibility.
Every woman is an influencer — whether she has 10 followers or 10,000 — because each voice matters. Our motto is “It starts with US.”
What are your plans for the next 2 years?
Our goal is to drive social change, create real impact, and build the strongest verified women’s network ever created.
We want INSAVIOR to become a recognized safety companion for every woman — first in Greece and Cyprus, and soon across Europe.
Over the next two years, we’re expanding partnerships with municipalities, universities, and private organizations to strengthen women’s safety both online and offline. We’re also developing new features powered by smart technology and community empathy — tools that transform awareness into immediate, coordinated action.
INSAVIOR’s mission will always remain the same: to turn solidarity into life-saving action through innovation, connection, and compassion. Because safety should never depend on luck — it should depend on us.
