Cancun, Quintana Roo — More than 17,000 women in Quintana Roo are actively using the MAYA app, a digital tool designed to provide immediate assistance and support in cases of gender-based violence, state officials announced.
Since its launch on March 8, the platform has enabled timely intervention in nearly 400 emergency cases across the state.
Esther Burgos Jimenez, head of the Quintana Roo Women’s Secretariat (Semujeres), detailed the geographic reach of the free app, available for iOS and Android devices.
The highest adoption rates are in the state’s main urban centers:
- Benito Juarez (Cancun): 3,876 registered users
- Othon P. Blanco (Chetumal): 2,208 registered users
- Solidaridad (Playa del Carmen): 1,423 registered users
The app’s built-in violence detection module has helped classify victims’ vulnerability levels. Officials reported that 7 women were identified as being at extreme risk, 35 at high risk, 57 at moderate risk, and 51 at medium risk, all of whom received specialized, immediate attention.
The MAYA app was developed in collaboration with feminist collectives, lawyers, psychologists, and specialists to ensure its effectiveness. Its core feature is a panic button that can be activated manually or by a predetermined phone movement.
When triggered, the alert connects directly to the C5 Security Complex and the 911 emergency number. Simultaneously, the system automatically records up to 20 seconds of audio as potential legal evidence and sends the user’s real-time geolocation to a support network of five trusted contacts.
The app provides round-the-clock counseling, supported by a team of psychologists and legal advisors from Semujeres, making it one of the most robust technological protection strategies in southeastern Mexico.
