5 Apps Fighting Back Against Sexual Assault
Dozens of colleges are currently in the spotlight for increases in sexual assault claims, causing thousands of students to take a stand nationwide and several colleges to reform policy. Now, technology is fighting back too. These five new smartphone apps offer quick, discreet ways for students to send out an SOS to friends, family, and police during unsafe situations and contribute to sexual-assault prevention.
1. OnWatchOnCampus
A winner of the 2011 White House Apps Against Abuse Challenge, OnWatchOnCampus is equipped with six customizable alerts you can send to friends and family. The “Watch My Back” feature works by setting a passcode-locked timer on your phone. If time runs out before you enter the code, the app will send a message and your GPS location to pre-specified contacts. The “I’m Here” tool lets you send your friends a message and your location to let them know you’ve arrived safely at your destination. There are also buttons that allow you to call campus police, local 911, and pre-selected emergency contacts with just two taps on your phone’s screen.
iOS: $9.99 per year or 99 cents per month
Android: $9.99 per year or 99 cents per month
2. bSafe
No one likes to think about the worst. But if emergency does strike, bSafe can help. Tapping on the app’s SOS button turns your phone into an emergency siren. Once the alarm is triggered, your phone will also begin recording audio and video while broadcasting your location to a chosen group of contacts. Don’t worry about saving the information—your video, voice, location, and timestamps are automatically saved and backed up on the app’s servers. bSafe also provides easy access to your data, in case you need to share it with police.
iOS: Free
Android: Free