Filenews 29 October 2025 - by Petros Afxentiou
Women remain exposed and unprotected from any form of violence. The recent incidents with the attempted rape of women in Limassol have once again highlighted the serious gaps in prevention, policing, as well as in the support of victims, creating great concern in society.
This gap is hoped to be filled by the Insavior app, which is aimed exclusively at women. The clear goal of the app is, in moments of insecurity, danger or attack, for every woman to be able to notify her own people and members of the app community at the touch of a button.
The inspirer of the effort is Dimitra Andreou. Speaking to Filenews, she mentioned the reasons that led her to create the application, while also explaining its functions.
The reason for its creation was a 2021 femicide in London. "As she told us, Sarah Everard was walking home when she was kidnapped, raped and strangled by an off-duty police officer," Ms. Andreou said.
"While Sarah was suffering, there were other people in the park. If there was any networking, then all the women who were near the scene would be notified," she stressed.
How the app works
The pilot version of the app was released in December 2022. "Now it has been officially released, with the slogan ''ΑρχίζειΜεΕμάς," [It Begins with Us] said Ms. Andreou.
"Insavior is a safety and women's protection app. It is a social startup, internationally recognized. It is the first application that offers an immediate and practical solution, as when a woman is in danger, she networks with all the women who are close to her at that moment."
The app is aimed at women over 18 — "this is a legal issue and we are working to lower the age limit," she clarified.
A strict identification process is required to enter the app. "If you are not a woman, if you are not over 18 or if your details do not match the official document, you are rejected. Insavior is a safe and fully regulated community."
Three levels of protection
There are three levels of SOS and each woman chooses depending on the occasion:
High Alert
• All women nearby are immediately notified
• Emergency contacts are activated (they can also be men)
• Location and navigation
are sent• Group chat is created for coordination
• Ends only with a personal code
Escort Button
• For moments of insecurity without immediate danger
• The member writes what is happening (there are ready messages)
• Group chat is created, without notification of contacts
Private Alarm
• Notification only to contacts
• Sending location for possible notification of Authorities
Ms. Andreou stressed that the goal is for thousands of women to use the application:
"In order to work effectively, network density is needed. When a girl presses SOS, there must be other women near her to respond."
The application is already operational in Greece.
Because there is no connection with the Police
Asked why the application is not connected to the Police so that the authorities can also be notified, she replied that because, "quite simply, they were not interested. When I contacted them, they didn't even have a system to receive Insavior's messages. Ideally, we want the Police to be notified. We want to make noise when a girl needs us, not when we mourn another femicide."
She also criticized the state actions. As she mentioned, "everything is done superficially and communicatively. In practice there is nothing. It's for show."
Example of an immediate response
Although the app has only been fully operational for the past few days, an accidental alarm was enough to immediately activate four women who were close to the incident — proving its potential.
The application also offers:
Self-defense videos
Information material from experts (criminologists, psychologists, sociologists)
Community page with the possibility of anonymous posts
Psychosocial support
"Insavior is not just an app; It is social change," she concluded.
How the complaints in Limassol became known
Dimitra Andreou was directly involved in the publication of the incidents.
"Girls sent me the reports and I shared them. They also sent me messages about their experiences. After the publication, they wrote me even more with similar incidents. I promoted the issue in the media and it got a lot of coverage."
She also noted that there was initial indifference from the Police, which forced her to publicize the case.
