“Girls Gotta Know”: New app helping young women

The Minister for the Status of Women, Julie Collins, has today launched “Girls Gotta Know”, a free web based app providing young Tasmanian women quick access to essential legal information on a range of practical topics.

The app, developed by the Women’s Legal Service Tasmania, provides easy to understand legal information on housing, employment, police, relationships, money and general topics.

“It is important that young women understand their legal rights and responsibilities and “Girls Gotta Know” is a great way to access up to date, practical information,” Ms Collins said.

“New technology and social media are important tools to use to raise community awareness of women’s issues – on legal rights, as well as on violence against women and on respectful relationships.

“We need to use technology to inform and we also need to use it to influence changes in attitudes and behaviour to prevent violence from occurring in the first place.

“This is the aim of one of the initiatives under the National Plan to Reduce Violence against Women and their Children (2010-2022).

“Through the $17 million primary prevention social marketing campaign The Line, we are focused on changing the attitudes and behaviour that contribute to violence.

“The Line provides a web and Facebook environment for young Australians aged 12 to 20 to engage in genuine discussion about respectful relationships and poor behaviour.

“It includes information for young people, parents and teachers, and it also allows young men and women to explore their own views and ideas through discussion and debate.

“Girls Gotta Know” takes a similarly non-confrontational approach, this time to providing an important space for young women to explore their legal rights on practical matters.

“I congratulate Women’s Legal Service Tasmania in actively using new technology to engage with young women on important topics.”

Ms Collins also presented certificates to 10 grade-10 girls from New Norfolk High School and congratulated them on their contributions and feedback during the app’s development.