As a girl going through puberty, your body starts to change, you get your period and begin to develop sexually. But how does your body work, what is sexuality and how can you learn that your body belongs to you? On the one hand, ‘Ei-kwijt’ is a service that helps you with practical matters concerning menstruation; on the other, it is a platform for young women to discuss issues and questions concerning their bodies and sexuality. Every-body is a service in the form of an app (containing a menstruation calendar and a forum) as well as an offline magazine distributed with tampons and sanitary towels.
What was it like to participate in No Minor Thing?
‘The topic of the challenge was quite heavy, which made it confronting. Because the theme is so urgent, it also gave us a lot of energy and a drive to come up with a good design. By working together with The Netherlands Public Prosecution Service we got to know a whole new world and the professional research of STBY helped us to really get into the topic.’
‘Through design we can create surprising connections outside of usual frames of thinking. Even by just bringing together different experts and perspectives from the field, so much energy is created.’
While working on this project, what has caught you by surprise the most?
‘It surprised us that so many girls are exposed to forms of sexual exploitation. It was shocking to see the vulnerability you have at an early age in becoming a victim, simply because you don’t know what’s normal yet. Perhaps you forget about this vulnerability once you are grown up.’
What role do you attribute to design when it comes to this type of social issue?
‘Through design we can create surprising connections outside of usual frames of thinking. Even by just bringing together different experts and perspectives from the field, so much energy is created. We focus on accessibility and work from the perspective of the target group. As designers and outsiders we are able to provide a different view on the subject, and get around the limits and ‘can-nots’ that a professional in healthcare might experience. Through this, design can play a role by making research and practical insights approachable from the world of the victim.’