Welcome to Part 2 of our March 2025 Inspirational Interview with ElsaMarie D’Silva.
ElsaMarie D’Silva (she/her) is the Founder of Red Dot Foundation (India) and President of Red Dot Foundation Global (USA). She created Safecity, a technology platform crowdsourcing personal experiences of sexual violence globally, which is now the largest crowd map on this issue in India. ElsaMarie co-founded the Brave Movement to end childhood sexual abuse and Beyond Black, a social enterprise leveraging art for good. She has been recognised by the UN, German Federal Foreign Office, and the Government of India for her work.
In this part of the interview, ElsaMarie talks about the importance of getting men and boys on board the cause to end violence against women and the impact Red Dot Foundation has had in the battle against violence against women in India and the world.
Part 1 of ElsaMarie’s interview was published 2 March, 2025.
All photos are courtesy of RedDot Foundation.
6. Over the years, what sort of impact has Red Dot Foundation had on stopping violence against women (VAW) in India and across the world?
Red Dot Foundation has had a profound impact in tackling VAW in India and globally. Through Safecity, we have crowdsourced over 86,000 reports of sexual and gender-based violence across multiple countries, using data to drive policy change, urban safety improvements, and community interventions impacting 1.5 million citizens.
We have trained over 250,000 individuals in bystander intervention, legal rights, and gender sensitisation through programmes in schools, colleges, communities, corporations, and law enforcement agencies. Our Youth Safety Champions programme has empowered young leaders to promote safety and gender equity in their communities.
Our partnerships with police departments and city planners have led to tangible safety measures, including better street lighting, women-friendly infrastructure, and gender-sensitive policing practices. Internationally, we advocate at global forums like the UN, G7, and the World Bank, influencing policies on gender-based violence and digital safety.
Red Dot Foundation is creating lasting change in the fight against VAW by combining technology, advocacy, and community-driven action.
7. One of the keys to eradicating VAW is to get men and boys on board efforts to do so. What do you think are the most effective ways of galvanising men and boys in conservative countries and cultures such as India to help to end VAW?
Engaging men and boys is crucial to ending VAW, especially in conservative cultures like India. The most effective strategies include bringing them into the conversation, creating safe spaces for dialogue and debate, and providing education on gender equality, consent, and bystander intervention.
At Red Dot Foundation, 60% of our volunteers are young men, actively involved in our programmes. Our studies show that men who participate in gender sensitisation training are significantly less likely to commit acts of VAW. By exposing them to real stories, data, and survivor experiences, we challenge harmful gender norms and encourage allyship.
We also partner with schools, universities, workplaces, and law enforcement to integrate gender sensitivity training, ensuring long-term behavioural change. When men and boys become advocates for gender equality, they influence their peers, families, and communities—creating a powerful ripple effect towards a safer, more just society.
8. Tell us about Red Dot Foundation’s plans for the future. What campaigns, programmes, or projects do you have coming up in the next 5 years?
Red Dot Foundation’s Vision 2030 aims to impact 1 billion people by strengthening partnerships, technology, and youth leadership to combat violence against women (VAW). In the next five years, we will expand collaborations with police and city officials to integrate data-driven safety solutions into urban planning and policing. We are enhancing Safecity’s tech stack, incorporating AI for advanced analytics, predictive insights, and proactive survivor support, making it a real-time resource for those at risk.
We will invest heavily in youth leadership, scaling our Youth Safety Champions programme to equip young changemakers with the tools to drive community-based safety initiatives. Our focus on bystander intervention, legal literacy, and digital safety will continue through global advocacy campaigns.
By 2030, we envision a world where survivor voices lead systemic change, technology proactively prevents violence, and gender equity is deeply embedded in communities worldwide.
9. How can The Pixel Project’s supporters engage with and support the efforts of Red Dot Foundaton to stop VAW?
The Pixel Project’s supporters can play a vital role in amplifying Red Dot Foundation’s efforts to end VAW.
- Spread Awareness – Share Safecity’s platform, data insights, and Red Dot Foundation’s initiatives to help break the silence around VAW.
- Volunteer & Advocate – Join our programmes as community leaders, researchers, or trainers to bring safety awareness to schools, workplaces, and public spaces.
- Support Youth Leadership – Help us train the next generation of Youth Safety Champions, empowering young people to drive change in their communities.
- Fund Our Tech Innovation – Support the development of AI-driven analytics and survivor support tools to enhance Safecity’s impact.
- Partner With Us – Collaborate with us to bring gender-sensitive urban planning and policy reforms to cities worldwide.
Every voice and action counts. Together, we can create safer communities and a world free from gender-based violence.
10. In your considered opinion, how can we end VAW for good?
Ending VAW must be addressed now. We cannot hold women back while society advances in every other sphere. As we talk about colonising Mars, we cannot allow VAW to persist on Earth. It requires a multi-pronged, systemic approach that addresses root causes and structural barriers. In addition to leveraging technology and data as Safecity does, we also need to:
- Break the Silence and Challenge Norms – VAW persists because of deep-seated patriarchy, stigma, and victim-blaming. We must normalise conversations about gender-based violence and hold perpetrators accountable.
- Educate from an Early Age – Comprehensive gender education can reshape attitudes and instill respect, consent, and equality in young minds.
- Engage Men and Boys – We need male allies actively challenging misogyny, advocating for equality, and standing up as bystanders.
- Strengthen Laws and Enforcement – Survivors need accessible legal support, gender-sensitive policing, and a justice system that ensures swift, survivor-centred responses.
- Invest in Women’s Economic and Social Empowerment – Financial independence, leadership opportunities, and community engagement equip women with the power to resist violence and demand justice.
