The body of Philippine, a 19-year-old student, was tragically discovered on Saturday 21 September in the Bois de Boulogne, after a wanted poster was put out via The Sorority app

The Sorority: An initiative for women’s safety

Launched in 2020 by Priscilla Routier-Trillard, The Sorority-which means ‘sorority’ in French, evoking solidarity between women-is an app dedicated to women’s safety. It played a crucial role in the discovery of the lifeless body of Philippine, who had disappeared the previous afternoon while studying at the University of Paris-Dauphine.

Designed as an ‘anti-aggression alarm’, The Sorority enables its users to send out a distress signal in the event of danger in a variety of situations, whether in the street, in the underground or on their way home from a party. The application also deals with issues of domestic and family violence, offering assistance that can be accessed from home.

A growing community of solidarity

Currently reserved for women, The Sorority has attracted a great deal of interest, with over 340,000 downloads and 104,000 verified profiles. Thanks to this vast community, when a woman feels in danger, she can activate an alarm via a central button on the app, alerting the 50 users geographically closest to her. Statistics show that the alarm sender receives an average response from 10 to 15 other women within a minute.

These other women have access to the alarm sender’s location and contact details, enabling them to contact the authorities or suggest one of the 8,500 safe places referenced by the application, where the person in distress can take refuge until the situation calms down. They can also go to the woman in danger and act as an acquaintance to help her out of this delicate situation.

A strategic partnership with law enforcement agencies with a global reach for women’s safety

The Sorority app is not just a tool for women in France; it is also accessible to French nationals living abroad, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Priscilla Routier-Trillard, the founder, stresses the importance of this feature: ‘Thousands of miles away from our loved ones, we become completely dependent on the violent person, who may also be an employer.’ Available worldwide, the application is translated into 13 languages, enabling local populations to use it.

A stronger commitment since International Women’s Rights Day

Since 8 March, in honour of International Women’s Rights Day, The Sorority has established a partnership with the police and gendarmerie forces. The partnership is described on the application’s website as a ‘recognised and accredited scheme’ designed to raise awareness of the tool among law enforcement officers through specific training courses. Priscilla Routier-Trillard explains: ‘When a person in a situation of domestic violence is unable to contact the authorities directly, they can alert us via the app. If they consent, we immediately pass on the information to the 17 for rapid intervention.’

Awareness-raising and posters in police stations
Charlotte Huntz, police commissioner and national focal point for the fight against domestic violence, confirms the importance of this collaboration: ‘To ensure the effectiveness of the system with The Sorority, we have made our staff aware of the need for rapid intervention.’ Visuals of the application will be displayed in all police stations for easy access

Complementary initiatives

The Sorority is not the only app to establish links with the police. Umay, for example, has been listing ‘safe places’ since 2019, including 3,200 gendarmeries, 600 police stations and 6,000 other establishments such as bars, restaurants and shops, where men and women in danger can take refuge. The free app also works with law enforcement agencies and has recently expanded through a partnership with La Française des Jeux, aiming to train and label as many bars and tobacconists as possible as ‘safe places’ during the Paris 2024 Games, while also offering training on how to deal with situations of aggression, particularly gender-based and sexual violence.