App For Women Who Walk Alone

A new smartphone app called “StreetSafe” is aimed at giving women a sense of security while walking alone or at night.

The app was designed by a Chicago-based company called People Guard. It’s billed as a way for women to protect themselves from sexual assault and other dangers. According to research from the Centers for Disease Control, nearly one in five women have been raped in their lifetime.

The app has two main features. The first is called “Walk With Me.” When you slide the green button, an operator will call you back and stay on the phone with you until you reach your destination. The operator will follow your every step with maps and even a street view using your phone’s GPS. Operators are trained in emergency and stress management and each shift is supervised by an off-duty police officer.

The second feature is the red panic button. If you select that, operators will contact emergency dispatch with your description, medical history, and exact location.

Sharmily Majmahdar, Executive Director of “Rape Victim Advocates,” says this app may give women a false sense of security. “The majority of sexual assaults happen when it’s someone you know. It’s someone you’re friends with, it’s someone you’re dating, someone you used to date,” Majmahdar said.

Even so, many female users say it gives them peace of mind. Janice Hurley, a sexual assault survivor, lives alone and says she never wants to be a victim again. “It’s very empowering, totally makes you feel more in charge of your life and a lot more in charge of your situation,” Hurley said.

To learn about pricing plans, click here to visit the StreetSafe website. You can get 15% off of any plan by using the promotion code, “BESAFE.”