Virtual reality is not anymore a medium for gamers, it is a way for women empowerment. While we will see many more advancements in VR in 2019, feminism will also be increasingly spread across people through this technology.
Somewhere, a little girl is struggling to convince her parents for her education and many oceans away a professional woman is dying to receive an equal paycheck. The problems remain the same whether it is India or any other nation. Feminism is just a passage to spread awareness about equal rights and if technologies like VR can help us with it, what more could we ask for?
Undoubtedly, VR is the new voice of women today and here’s why we believe this:
1. The Sun Ladies VR
We have all heard about ISIS, and we all know how cruel it can be for women living amongst these people. The Sun Ladies is a short documentary of 7 minutes, which lets the viewer explore the world of women fighting ISIS in Iraq.
The fighting scenarios were recreated using Quill, a tool utilized for VR animations.
If this documentary would have been released on a flat screen, then it would have gained a few tears. However, when the VR version was seen by people present at Sundance Film Festival in Utah, many wrote letters offering support in the line of fight.
2. The Virtual Police Station
Back in 2016, a study found out that India observed 106 rape cases every day and 4 out of 10 were minor. In a parallel study, it was revealed that 53% of registered cases were false. Even if we hypothetically reduce the amount to half based on two studies, the number is still just too high.
Apart from this, there are various other crimes that are carried out on a daily basis, which never even get reported.
Looking at the urgency of offering help and reducing crime, Rajasthan Police along with CHRI came up with the virtual police station. Users can know about the FIR filing procedure, laws, and other necessary details of filing a complaint against a crime.
For instance, if you have a Google Cardboard VR, you can download the app and know how to maintain anonymity while filing an FIR.
Right now, the platform doesn’t allow virtual FIRs, but that is surely the next target.
3. Reducing Anxiety to Increase Pregnancy Rate
Experts still believe that stress and anxiety affect the pregnancy rate in women. In a study, anxiety was reduced in women through hypnosis and distraction VR, and then IVF treatment was carried out. Though there was not much evidence of the success of IVF or increased pregnancy rate, anxiety reduced in many.
The study involved 100 women of age 18 to 42 years old. The first group, distraction group, received an underwater walk and the second group, hypnosis group, focused on slowing respiratory rhythm and breathing. Both the groups had reduced anxiety after VR sessions.
4. Mothers of The Atlas
Another VR film Mothers of the Atlas showcases how we can reduce maternal deaths in remote areas with the help of virtual reality. Due to birth complications and inaccessibility to the right healthcare, women in remote areas face maternal deaths. The Qualcomm Wireless Reach and Trice Imaging joined together to offer free ultrasounds to women in their homes.
Conclusion
Women empowerment is the solution to a lot of problems, and our methods may change, but the goal remains the same. If virtual reality can help us achieve this goal faster, then why not? In fact, this year we will see more applications of VR in this field which will empower, encourage, and inspire women across all nations.