38% of women have experienced online assault

Bangalore Besties and Bangalore Unstoppable on coto, a social community app for women, to share common interests

We are moving towards a digital world and using social media has become a part of us now. However, with the benefits of the internet also comes the concern of online safety, particularly for women, as they're more prone to getting trolled and harassed. With the advent of social media platforms, women today feel more violated than ever before, as studies show 48% of women are experiencing online harassment.

According to a study of 51 countries for the UN Women's Gender Snapshot 2022, a report found that 38% of women have experienced online assault in some way. To address this issue, coto, a global social community exclusively for women is working along the same lines by fostering digital safe spaces for women, where they can come together to express, engage, and earn. It is a collaboration between content creation and community building, in which every user holds actual value and ownership of the content that they create. With over 5000 communities, coto is a free and responsible online platform founded/based on the principles of decentralisation, transparency, and trust for women.

In a recent virtual meet with women in Bengaluru, Priya Moorthy, a fashion designer and coto City Ambassador and Naga Lakshmi, a student and coto City Ambassador, addressed burning issues women face in the online space. They also introduced the experts on the virtual meet - Harshitha Rakesh, a Dollu Kunitha dancer, Divya Raghoji, a holistic wellness expert, Rajashree Kiran, a fashion designer, Sejal, a singer and harmonica player and Sharada Manoranjan, Founder/CEO – The EntrepreneursHub. The session's objective was to come together and introduce the experts of the community to its members while discussing the larger purpose of building this coto community for the local women of Bengaluru.

The session shed light on the various communities' coto harbours for its users centered around wellness, fashion, hobbies, singing, dancing, entrepreneurship, and more. The women discussed how important it is for them to support and encourage each other to go the extra mile and nurture their entrepreneurial ambitions. To make the session more exciting, the City Ambassadors also engaged the audiences and guests with fun games of riddles and quizzes. The top 3 winners of the contest were rewarded with gift hampers from coto.

The Co-Founder, coto, Aparna Acharekar said, "The internet can be a negative space, especially for women. With a rise in cybercrimes and online harassment, protecting women and creating a safe online space for them is of utmost importance. Firstly, as a woman contributing to creating a global platform for women, I realised that I would have to keep aside my own biases to avoid assumptions and prejudices."

"When used correctly, the internet can also be a great tool for firing back. The #MeToo movement united women against assault and gave them the confidence to raise their voices. Women-exclusive networks, formed by women and for women, are slowly getting stronger. coto is designed on the same premise where women can form communities, and by discussing a wide variety of topics, they can help, motivate and uplift one another. It is a platform for women to earn, learn and discuss anything and everything they want. On the theme of the webinar, she further added, "I am a strong believer in Shine Theory. The theory very well states that powerful women would be more successful if they cooperate rather than compete against one another. When you help other women rise, we all shine!" she added.

The coto City Ambassador, Naga Lakshmi, said, "coto stands for coming together and today all of us have come together to build a meaningful network and connect with each other. What is exciting about coto is the concept of coto gains. One referral on coto is counted as one coto gain. These coto gains can further be used to unlock some exciting features of the coto app and can be redeemed as well. If you want your coto community to grow stronger, these coto gains are as precious as gold for you."

Naga Lakshmi's community – 'Bangalore Besties' on coto aims to strengthen the bond between women by giving them a space to share anything that happens in their everyday lives.

The coto City Ambassador, Priya Moorthy, said, "You are made to believe that your following list on social media is your community which is not true. Today, social media users don't really interact and bond on a deeper level with each other. While communities on the other hand, are built around a specific interest- be it a person, a common cause, or an issue. When you create a community you engage in different conversations and bond more personally with the members. You are no longer an influencer for them but someone with whom they can finally feel a real connection with. Such is the idea behind communities on coto." She further added, "Bangalore has become the new hub for women entrepreneurs. From media to food and lifestyle, there is no space too daunting for these achievers."

Priya Moorthy's community – 'Bangalore Unstoppables' on coto aims to bring women together who talk about diverse topics ranging from beauty tips to health issues arising in women.

A Dollukunitha Dancer, Harshitha Rakesh said, "I feel that it is very important for women to believe in themselves, and can restart their careers at any age. The key to grow is to start from somewhere no matter how small it be. I started small by learning the Mandala art and Dollu Kunitha dance and now I have started teaching as well. It is imperative for women to come together and help each other grow as individuals, and therefore I would like to encourage all women present in the city communities of coto Bangalore Besties and Bangalore Unstoppable to grow more and be independent." A Holistic Wellness Expert, Divya Raghoji said, "I run a community called 'Holistic Wellness' on coto. I was a part of the corporate world, but there was always a void inside me that kept bothering me. I was told by my doctor that whatever I do I have to give back to my society, and that thought struck me. I was looking for something which would be satisfying and appealing to do. In 2018, I faced a lot of health issues, and I was emotionally depressed. That's when I came across this community called 'Wellness Quotient' and I joined the program. Today I am a full-time wellness advisor and helping people around the globe with their health-related challenges such as weight loss, PCOD, and thyroid.

A Fashion Designer, Rajashree Kiran said, "I feel when a woman wants to start her entrepreneurial journey, she should first find out her interests, gather more information on it and acquire the necessary skills for the same. Being a fashion designer, I accustomed myself to the fashion trends by communicating and learning from different local women from Bangalore before starting my journey as an entrepreneur."

She added, "Through my coto community, I would like to share my experiences and encourage other women to follow their entrepreneurial dreams."

Rajashree runs a community 'RK Shree Hub' on coto. Her community is one of the top communities in the beauty segment on the coto app.

Sejal, Singer, and harmonica player said "I am a trained singer and harmonica player and also run a small business with my best friend called 'HueTown'. We make handmade accessories like keychains, bracelets, and clips which are all eco-friendly. My journey as an entrepreneur started back in college. We were told to set up a carnival in college as part of the college activity. Given six hours, we managed to set up a stall, and within three hours we were all sold out. We were surprised by the way people responded to our creative items."