In 2024, fewer than one in two women said they felt very or fairly safe walking alone in the dark in the area where they lived. Only 45.7 per cent of women expressed this sense of security, compared to 68.3 per cent of men, according to data from the Istituto nazionale di statistica (Istat) covering the population aged 14 and over. The first Univ-Censis report "La sicurezza fuori casa", presented in May 2025 and conducted on a sample of one thousand adults, adds another detail: 67.3 per cent of women say they feel afraid when returning home in the evening or at night. These are figures about the perception of insecurity, to be distinguished from crime statistics, but useful for understanding people's relationship with public spaces.

Taken together, these numbers reveal a gap in the way people inhabit public space: the same street can represent a convenient connection or a route to be avoided, depending on who is walking it and when. A distant bus stop, a poorly lit stretch, the time of the last bus: when planning a night out, these can become decisive variables. A mental map of the city is also built this way, through calculations made before a journey that may ultimately change it. For a woman, deciding whether to attend an evening class or stay out after work may first mean figuring out how to get home. The issue therefore touches on the opportunities for study, work and social life that an urban space makes genuinely accessible.

It is within this perspective that the proposal of PinkRoad takes shape — a platform dedicated to women that allows them to connect and face journeys together that they would otherwise make alone. The aim is to offer a tool for moving around with greater peace of mind, connecting people who share a common everyday need.

How PinkRoad works

Let's imagine a situation familiar to many women: an evening class that ends at 10pm, the bus stop a ten-minute walk away, the last service in half an hour. With PinkRoad, it's possible to open the app — available on both Android and iOS — check whether there is another user nearby heading towards a compatible destination and suggest walking that stretch together. There's no need to be going to the same destination: two women can walk together for part of the route and then continue in different directions. The possibility of finding a companion naturally depends on the presence of other users and compatible routes.

Using the service requires registration with identity verification: the service, developed with partner Cyberneid — a company specialising in digital authentication systems — involves checking the user's document and face, a step designed to ensure that the people you connect with are genuinely who they say they are.

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Rounding out the offering, the app includes a review system between participants and a function to quickly call 112, with automatic messages sent to pre-set emergency contacts: in case of need, it is thus possible to call for help and alert the people closest to you. Geolocation, chat, reviews and the emergency call are free services offered by PinkRoad, while a premium version with additional features is also in the pipeline. Among future developments, there is also the possibility of booking taxis through the app and the launch of partnerships with car sharing services.

The PinkStops, reference points across the city

From the digital realm, the network also extends into the physical space of the city through the PinkStops — bars, shops, restaurants and social spaces that join the project as starting points, meeting places or safe havens. A PinkStop can become the place to wait for a walking companion and recognise each other before setting off: according to the startup, staff are familiar with the project and can be a point of reference in case of discomfort. Joining the network is free, and the participating venues and their opening hours — worth checking before planning a route — are listed on the website. This involvement gives the platform a local dimension: neighbourhood businesses become part of the project, offering users recognisable places in which to meet.

Companies can also play their part

But the issue of women's safety in public spaces also concerns companies: which is why PinkRoad is developing a partnership programme aimed specifically at them. Collaborations can take various forms, from supporting the growth of the community and the PinkStop network, to running awareness campaigns and information events, through to projects dedicated to employee wellbeing and mobility, with particular attention to those who work shifts or travel during evening and night-time hours. PinkRoad also supports organisations in developing initiatives linked to corporate welfare, gender equality and social responsibility, with the option of carrying out dedicated analyses and projects on women's mobility and perceived safety in public spaces.