Violence against women has long been endemic in Cambodia, borne out in widespread oppressive attitudes and harrowing statistics. The United Nations says one in four Cambodian women reported physical or sexual violence by a partner, while one in five men admitted to having committed rape, and more than 5 percent of men said they had engaged in gang rape.

But in recent years, violence has shifted along with rapid changes to Cambodia’s capital city, moving more prominently from the private domain to the public. Sreyleap represents a growing number of rural, mostly poor, women who have migrated to Phnom Penh for work. Most end up in the garment industry or entertainment sector as beer promoters, karaoke employees, or sex workers. Such places leave women at increased risk of violence, both at work and when traveling at night.

Organizations are aiming to counter this kind of violence by capitalizing on the country’s rising use of technology and social media, partnering with entertainment workers, and engaging youth via large-scale campaigns.

Last month, US non-profit The Asia Foundation (TAF) released three smartphone apps to improve safety and raise awareness under its VXW program. One, named Safe Agent 008, has an alarm, an anonymous reporting mechanism, and a message system that automatically sends GPS coordinates to friends if women feel at risk.