Most of us have, at some point, walked alone in a park at night and developed hypothetical protection strategies in case something bad happens. Personal safety apps. While it’s good to be aware of our surroundings, it’s better to be prepared.
Some shocking statistics came from the report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed a shocking statistic: 44% of women reported experiencing some form of sexual assault in their lifetime. Personal safety is no laughing matter, and it doesn’t just discriminate against women. Men and women, children and adults, can all be victims of harassment and assault. Fortunately, the tech boom has given us more than just games and social media; there are also a variety of apps and technologies that can actually keep us safer.
The rise of GPS and other location-based technologies has led to the emergence of new and innovative personal safety apps. But with so many options, how do you know which one to download?
Common Emergencies and the 10 Apps that Can Help
While all of the apps on our list are designed for personal safety, some are more suited to certain situations than others. Below are some of the most common emergencies people face in their daily lives. It’s worth considering the dangers you’re likely to encounter and then choosing the app that best fits the situation.
Street Harassment
In 2014, a video of an innocent woman walking in New York City went viral after a disturbing number of men harassed her while she was going about her business. Unfortunately, street harassment is common and can happen in cities, suburbs, rural areas, and even in your own neighborhood. Hollaback and Kitestring are two services on our list that are especially helpful when your personal space is being invaded by public places.
Parties and Social Gatherings
When we think about personal safety, we don’t always consider the different ways in which we can feel unsafe. Unfortunately, the danger often stems from family circumstances. Of child sexual abuse victims reported to authorities, 93% knew their attacker, about 59% were acquaintances, 34% were family members, and only 7% were strangers. Safety apps that use friend networks, such as bSafe and Circle of 6, are useful for college parties and other social events where you’ll be attending with close, trusted friends.
Medical Emergencies
Your personal safety may also include potential medical conditions, such as epilepsy, allergies, or a risk of stroke. You may find yourself in a situation where talking to emergency services on the phone puts you in danger. First Aid. It’s worth consulting with the American Red Cross and Noonlight if you have a medical condition that could occur anywhere and need to notify emergency services so they can access first aid manuals.
Personal safety for kids
Your kids will undoubtedly have a very different high school experience than you did, and the pressure of having a smartphone at a young age has made today’s kids more commercially exploited than you were. Unfortunately, kids may not know how to react and cope with certain uncomfortable situations, which is why personal safety apps are especially important for young children. Check out Circle of 6 and Red Panic Button if you want to arm your kids with a reliable and easy-to-use safety app.
Natural Disasters
Personal safety isn’t just about protecting yourself from being teased or bullied. The need for emergency services during hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters has become increasingly apparent. If you want your call for help to reach more than just your immediate emergency contacts, the Red Panic Button app lets you send emergency messages, but it also connects to your social networks like Twitter, Facebook, and Twitter. Tweeting during a potential disaster may seem overwhelming, but a simple tweet helped save an entire nursing home during Hurricane Harvey.
Here’s our list of the Top 10 Best Personal Safety Apps for 2022:
1. bSafe
- Ideal for solo outings or social events.
- “Follow Me” live streaming is ideal for parents.
- Live streaming to your guardian or contacts.
Your personal safety isn’t black and white. You might be on a date and feeling a little unsafe, or at a friend’s party and feeling awkward. The bSafe app has a “Follow Me” live map feature, plus voice-activated tools, automatic recordings, and even live streaming, plus an SOS button that will alert your contacts when you’re in danger. As an added bonus, bSafe can create fake calls asking you to get up from the table and leave an awkward situation. Like most of these personal safety apps, bSafe only works if you’ve enabled location services and invited friends who have agreed to track your movements.
2. Circle of 6
- Ideal for high school and college students.
- Send a distress message with just a tap on your phone.
Frame 6 is designed for college and high school students. With an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, this app helps you or your kids avoid awkward situations by assigning up to 6 friends of your choice. With two taps, you’ll send 3 pre-defined text messages to your friends. You can also schedule a fake phone call interruption if you have an awkward meeting. The app includes pre-programmed national phone numbers and a local number that you can customize for campus security, police, or 911.
3. Kitestring
- No app download required
- Configure emergency notifications sent to your emergency contacts
If you don’t want to download the app, Kitestring will send you a simple text message when you have a meeting, outing, or appointment. If you don’t respond, your emergency contacts will automatically receive a personalized notification. You don’t even need a smartphone to sign up.
4. Watch Over Me
- No action required. Just set a timer and schedule emergency contacts in advance.
- Record video with a simple gesture on your phone.
One of the first factors to consider when choosing a personal safety app is which app is easiest to use in a potential emergency. The Watch Over Me personal safety app works by setting a simple timer for any situation that’s troubling you. During this time, your GPS is tracked, and if you don’t press the “I’m Safe” button after the timer is set, an alert is sent to your emergency contacts, including your exact location.
5. First Aid: American Red Cross
- Ideal for people with pre-existing health conditions, as well as mountain climbers.
- Access first aid guides and safety resources even without Wi-Fi.
Whether you have a pre-existing condition or are hiking, the American Red Cross is your best bet for resources and help. The First Aid app offers several features designed to help you in a medical emergency. You can contact emergency medical services directly from the app, as well as watch a variety of videos, step-by-step first aid tips, and access preloaded safety information that works even without Wi-Fi. 6.
6. Silent Beacon
- Add friends, family, or 911 as contacts
- Share your SOS message with real-time GPS location
With Silent Beacon, you can set up emergency contacts on your phone and notify them with a simple tap. Your contacts can be friends, family, or even the police, and you can easily change them depending on your location or situation. This simple and effective app shares an SOS message along with your GPS location so your contacts can respond quickly to emergencies.
7. React Mobile
- A portable key fob lets you call for help even without accessing your phone.
- Pre-program your own emergency contacts.
As much as we love our smartphones, sometimes we don’t have them, and it’s important to have a way to call for help in an emergency besides our trusty phones. The React Mobile app has a smart adapter that connects to your phone app via Bluetooth so you can get help faster if your phone is locked or out of reach when you need it. In an emergency, you can press a button on the device that will immediately notify your emergency contacts.
8. Hollaback!
- Best for those who find themselves alone in public.
- Submit photos of stalkers to a prevention website.
According to Hollaback!, 80-90% of women have been subjected to public harassment. Hollaback lets you take and upload a photo of your potential assault “on the spot” and submit the story for recording and mapping on ihollaback.org.
9. Red Panic Button
- Ideal for social media users
- A quick and easy way to send disaster alerts to anyone in your social network.
Personal safety isn’t just about protecting yourself from assaults or attackers. The need for emergency services during hurricanes, earthquakes, and other natural disasters has become increasingly apparent. If you want your call for help to reach more than just your immediate emergency contacts, the Red Panic Button app lets you send emergency messages as well as connect with your social networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, and email.
10. SafeTrek
- Ideal for solo hikers
- Contact local police
SafeTrek is another simple and easy-to-use app. It has one function: press the button in the center of the screen when you feel safe. Once you feel safe, press the 4-digit PIN code, and if you don’t enter it, the app will automatically contact local police.
Personal Safety is Worth the Cell Phone Space
Personal safety can be a difficult topic to address, but being prepared for risks and staying calm outdoors are invaluable. Today, there are apps designed for solo travelers, night hikers, singles, college students, children, and more. With just a tap on your phone, you can send disaster alerts to your contacts or authorities and get help before the situation gets worse, which can make a big difference.