4. In which ways is the initiative creative and innovative?
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Gathering viewpoints on women’s safety (December 2012 – February 2013).
Seoul organized several Town Hall meetings on the question of how to make Seoul safer for women. The meetings helped the city identify the issues at stake through open dialogue with the public. A number of Policy Workshops on Tour were held in January and February of 2013 as well, with government officials making visits to women in various locales to collect ideas on how to more effectively prevent sex crimes and violence against women.
Analyses of sex crimes and in-depth interviews with victims (December 2012 onward).
Seoul undertook pattern analyses on sexual crime data gathered over the past 3 years (from 2012), in partnership with the Seoul Metropolitan Policy Agency (SMPA) and four support centers for victims of sex crimes. The goal was to identify patterns in the locations, times, victims, and victim-offender relations of these cases. As well, interviews were held with 130 victims in Seoul in partnership with Ewha Women’s University, the information from which informed Seoul’s sexual violence prevention policy.
Joint task force with the SMPA (December 2012 – February 2013).
Police cooperation is crucial for the prevention of violence against women. Seoul thus assembled a joint task force with SMPA members, which held numerous meetings to discuss the measures needed for expedited investigation and early response.
Announcement of the Comprehensive Plan for the Prevention of Sexual Violence (CPPSV) (March 2013).
The policy draft, which reflected the results of field research as well as expert opinion and was presided over by the First Vice-Mayor of Administration, was reviewed several times by officials from various government departments. These review meetings eventually led to the final Comprehensive Plan for the Prevention of Sexual Violence (CPPSV), which Mayor Park Won-soon announced in a press conference on March 6, 2013.
Implementation of the CPPSV in partnership with citizens and NGOs (March 2013 onward).
Seoul City established a public-private partnership governance over the implementation of the CPPSV, launching public awareness campaigns in the first phase, developing security networks citywide in the second phase, and creating a one-stop system for reporting and protection in the third phase in close partnership with citizens and NGOs.
Continuous monitoring and feedback from citizens (April 2013 onward).
Seoul continues to organize interdepartmental monitoring and review meetings on the CPPSV, which is supervised by the Gender Equality Committee, comprised of 36 women representatives. The city also organizes Gender Governance Meetings with citizens and NGOs, as well as regular meetings with the Local Solidarity for the Safety of Children and Women and experts on violence against women.
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5. Who implemented the initiative and what is the size of the population affected by this initiative?
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Citizens at the center of the process, from planning to implementation.
Seoul City’s Safer Neighborhoods for Women Program enlists the input of diverse citizen groups, including those commonly marginalized in policymaking, such as seniors and young women. The 33 neighborhoods throughout Seoul participating in this program have taken a proactive approach to sexual violence, with locals cooperating with women’s organizations to identify problems and conduct educational programs. These communal efforts are crucial to preventing and countering hidden forms of violence against women, and foster an environment in which all community members are involved in keeping their neighborhoods safe.
Private-sector entities, including the Korea Association of Convenience Stores (KACS) and ADT Caps.
The success of Seoul’s CPPSV stems in part from the contributions and participation of numerous private-sector entities that recognize and want to help make Seoul a safer city for women. The Korea Association of Convenience Stores (KACS) joined Seoul’s initiative by providing emergency safe havens for women at their stores (open 24 hours). Any woman fleeing a violent or threatening situation can go to these stores, which are designated “Women’s Safety Patrol Houses,” for assistance. Similarly, Seoul City launched the “Home Patrol Service Program” with ADT Caps, a private security company, to protect women living in low-income households in vulnerable neighborhoods.
Greater force of execution, thanks to SMPA.
The success of policies like the CPPSV depends on thorough enforcement, which demands strong police power for the purposes of patrolling, emergency investigations, and others. In September 2012, Seoul signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the SMPA to cooperate on reducing violence against women in the city. The SMPA and Seoul City held several joint task force meetings while forming the city’s policy, and conducted a citywide survey to determine vulnerable areas in need of intensive police support and surveillance.
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6. How was the strategy implemented and what resources were mobilized?
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Human resources: Sexual Violence Crisis Intervention Team, consisting of lawyers and other experts.
Interviews held with actual victims revealed many flaws in the systems being employed by support organizations for women victimized by sexual violence in Seoul, the major ones being the lack of streamlined and integrated services, and the dearth of information on the steps women needed to take after being assaulted. To deal with these issues, the city assembled the Sexual Violence Crisis Intervention Team (SVCIT), consisting of police officers, counselors, medical practitioners, and legal practitioners, which leverages the expertise of its members to provide quicker emergency intervention and follow-up care for victims. The SVCIT has a presence in each of the 25 districts of Seoul. Moreover, the mayor of Seoul established the Legal and Medical Advisory Group, appointing 170 members—all lawyers and doctors specializing in sexual violence—to ensure that victims receive the legal and medical help they need. These members dedicate themselves to the cause without receiving budgetary support from the city.
Financial resources: Lightening the burden on taxpayers with private-sector investment.
Seoul ensures the safety of women living in 3,000 low-income households located in vulnerable neighborhoods based on a partnership with ADT Caps, a private security company, which installed additional surveillance cameras, infrared sensors, and window shields in these areas. To lower the financial burden of the endeavor, Seoul City successfully induced investment from ADT Caps, resulting in a reduced monthly charge for the targeted households from USD 58.00 per household per month to just USD 9.00 per month. The partnership has helped Seoul save over USD 1,771,000 each year. Based on arrangements with the 25 districts and the SMPA in advance, Seoul was also able to earmark a significant amount of the city’s budget for the infrastructure needed for the CPPSV. All this was possible because so many in Seoul recognized the need to provide a safer environment for women throughout the city.
Technical resources: Women’s Safety Patrol Houses and a dedicated hotline.
In an effort to help women in flight from danger, Seoul designated 656 convenience stores across the city, which are open 24 hours, as Women’s Safety Patrol Houses. These function as emergency safe havens: when a woman flees to one of them to escape danger, the clerk on duty can press a wireless alarm button he or she carries in their pocket that is connected to an electronic database of store addresses and telephone numbers, this database allows police to know instantly the exact location of the store, thereby expediting response time.
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7. Who were the stakeholders involved in the design of the initiative and in its implementation?
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A human network of safety enlisting over 10,000 participating locals.
In Seoul, over 1,000 citizens have volunteered to accompany women returning home at night, while another 2,000 or so have registered as volunteers for patrols in the Safer Neighborhoods for Women Program. There are currently 656 convenience stores designated as Women’s Safety Patrol Houses to assist women fleeing from danger, and 3,000 more volunteers who have been trained how to keep women safe while in these stores. Over 1,000 delivery men for popular franchise restaurants have also been trained to provide help when they spot instances of violence against women.
Massive public campaigns and educational programs.
Seoul provides sexual violence prevention classes for over 50,000 people of all ages and backgrounds each year. These programs include puppet shows for preschoolers and sex and human rights education for teens. These programs ensure that Seoul citizens develop strong sensitivity to human rights violations from an early age. Self-defense classes for women are being offered in many communities as well, as are leadership courses for women. Gender awareness education is mandatory for court officers, police officers, and counselors, and such programs have received positive responses from both genders, with a satisfaction score of 92.2 percent on average. The city also launched a petition drive in the campaign to reduce violence against women, obtaining signatures from 250,000 citizens, who in signing have expressed their commitment to and support for the cause.
Environmental safety networks encompassing 600 special control zones.
Seoul City and the SMPA conducted a citywide survey that revealed 600 areas in the city in need of special control and monitoring for sexual violence. Officers are regularly dispatched to these areas under the Responsible Officer Assignment System for patrolling purposes. These areas are also given additional CPTED support, with neighborhoods under redevelopment being redesigned to create safer environments for women and children. Seoul also provides the Home Patrol Service Program for 3,000 low-income households in the city in partnership with ADT Caps, a private security company.
One-stop system, open 24/7, for reporting and protection.
Victims of sexual violence in Seoul can instantly report crimes online on Seoul City’s official website. When a report is received, it is immediately redirected to police and city authorities, enabling immediate response to the crime (e.g. evidence collection) and support for victims (e.g. emergency legal and medical counseling). This reporting system has helped 4,561 women so far.
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8. What were the most successful outputs and why was the initiative effective?
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Monitoring system consisting of citizens, women’s organizations and experts.
Citizens, NGO representatives, and experts have all cooperated with Seoul City in monitoring the progress of its CPPSV over the last year or so. The Report on the Monitoring of Women’s Safety Facilities in Seoul: From Citizens’ Perspectives, published in 2013, details key aspects of civic participation. Citizens themselves volunteered to be “mystery shoppers” to evaluate the quality of services the city is providing under the initiative. A satisfaction survey was conducted among women who used these facilities and services as well, which asked them to cite specific recommendations for improvements to be made. One problem that came to light in the satisfaction survey was that in the early days of the program, citizens who had volunteered to help escort women safely back home at night often forgot to present their IDs. This spurred needed change, with volunteers now obligated to present their IDs to women they are accompanying to assure these women of their intention. Evaluations were also carried out on the educational programs introduced under the CPPSV, such as those on violence against women and gender awareness. These evaluations have helped to improve the quality of education provided for different groups of people.
Women’s policy now a major indicator on the performance evaluation of public employees.
Seoul openly recruited 24 volunteers to participate in a policy governance program to help the city analyze and evaluate its policies. The women’s policy has become a major indicator on the balance score card (BSC) evaluation of senior and high-ranking officials in the city government as well, with failure to ensure its success resulting in limited career advancement.
Review and feedback from women’s representatives on the overall progress of the policy.
Seoul City regularly asks for counsel on the CPPSV from the Gender Equality Committee, which is comprised of 36 women representatives from diverse fields such as CPPSV law, economics, journalism, and others. The committee provides valuable advice and supervision on policies from the planning stage into implementation and onwards, and ensures that the voices and needs of women of diverse backgrounds are reflected in all of the programs introduced under the CPPSV.
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9. What were the main obstacles encountered and how were they overcome?
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Improving public awareness with media campaigns.
In the early days of the CPPSV, there were consistent objections, criticisms, and complaints from men who perceived the plan as an attack on the traditional patriarchal structure of Korea. Prevalent was the erroneous idea that investment in such a program was a waste since all women had to do was return home early and act properly so as not to become victims of crime. Clearly such ideas formed the basis of the problem itself and only reinforced the need for such a plan. Seoul City set out to educate the public on women’s issues through public campaigns, social media, and public contests. Such efforts made a considerable and noticeable difference, and the city continues to reinforce and expand their contents.
Struggling to establish MOUs between Seoul and private businesses.
Private-sector participation was crucial for the success of programs such as these. However, many businesses were reluctant to participate in what they viewed as a profitless project. To change their minds, Seoul City officials visited these businesses to try to convince them of the program’s value. After officials pointed out the long-term public image benefits of associating themselves with such a project, Seoul City was able to enter into memoranda of understanding (MOUs) with several businesses, ensuring the successful implementation of its innovative programs for women.
Increased meetings and contact with locals.
Early on, the program suffered from lack of participation and enthusiasm from locals, as there had been no such program before. So, Seoul City officials organized meetings and briefings for various local groups and organizations, at which they explained why the program was needed and how the active participation of residents would improve their communities. These community reach-out efforts resulted in the strong government-citizen partnership that helped the program finally achieve success.
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