10025001Using mixed reality to make our public spaces saferClosedCollaborative R&DInnovate UKClaire Barnett is a leading voice in the women's sector, bringing business skills to bear on social problems, in particular on the challenge of ongoing violence and harassment against women, girls and marginalised people in public spaces. Her project is the building of a Mixed Reality prototype that allows learners to receive and practice training on safe and respectful behaviour in public spaces: * what to do if they themselves are in trouble, * how not to be part of the problem, healthy interactions that are intersectionally inclusive, * and how to intervene as a bystander if they witness harassment or threatening behaviour in public space, or from someone they know. More than 7 in 10 women in the UK have been sexually harassed, with only 3% of women aged 18-24 reporting not having experienced harassment, and girls in school uniform being subjected to threatening and unwanted behaviour. Thus far, solutions have focussed on addressing issues when they happen, rather than going deep into the behavioural drivers of this behaviour, and changing attitudes over time. Claire has already developed and delivered training and content on ending violence against women, from McKinsey to her Safe Spaces Now project at UN Women UK, upskilling and eqiupping organisions and communities with better tools to combat harassment. Her innovation is at the forefront of using new technology and emerging concepts about the Metaverse to help practise interactions and reduce social issues at scale. She is passionate about democratising change, involving people with lived experience of issues as the designers and not only users of new technologies. She continuously creates opportunities to give new voices a seat at the table, collaborating with national decision-makers to ensure every woman and girl has the right to safety, choice and a voice. Claire speaks to people losing faith in our ability to change attitudes every day, and she believes fiercely that change is possible, in our lifetime, with the right tools. She says: "We are at an inflection point as we return to public spaces from the pandemic. Violence and harassment against women is a human rights crisis, but there is hope. Mixed Reality gives us our first ever opportunity to mix online and offline experiences, promote and practise more positive behaviours in a game-changing, engagign environment. there was ever a time to launch this innovation and change the way the world works for women...this is it."