During the last month, and as a result of the tragic disappearance and death of Sarah Everard, we have seen a nationwide outpouring of stories from women who have resonated with feeling scared when walking home alone.
The last year spent in lockdown has meant that, with nothing else to do, we have spent more time walking around our local areas. And whilst this has been great for our physical and mental health, it has also seen an uprising in these types of crimes.
So, what is the answer?
One positive that has come out of the recent tragedy is a heightened awareness of the issues surrounding safety when walking home alone, and as a result we have seen a huge influx of mobile apps to help women (and men) feel safer when out alone at night.
So – if you’re living in student accommodation in Liverpool and are worried about going about your day-to-day life, perhaps one or more of these apps will help to put your mind at ease.
#1 Walksafe
Walksafe is a relatively new app on the market, but it has been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times already. This virtual map allows you to walk around your local area with a clear view of the high crime areas, providing you with a safer alternative route to get from A to B.
You can send your destination, ETA and current location to an emergency contact of your choice, and there is a handy TapSafe feature, which allows you to notify your friends if you are feeling unsafe for any reason.
#2 Red Panic Button
This is perhaps one of the most straight-forward yet effective apps in our list and is ideal for anyone – whether you’re a techy or not.
Simply setup your emergency contacts and go about your life. If you find yourself in an unfamiliar part of town or feel worried, the app comes with a widget that will send a text, email and your GPS coordinates to your emergency contacts immediately.
Having this in your arsenal will give you the boost of confidence you need when walking back to your student accommodation in Liverpool.
#3 SOS Stay Safe
SOS Stay Safe offers a few different features which together make it one of the most effective safety apps. Not only will the app send your location to your nominated contacts at regular intervals (letting them know if you are on the move or not) but it also sends the status of your battery levels.
What’s more is, with a simple shake of your phone, you can discreetly record an audio clip to send to your contacts without raising the alarm.
#4 BSafe
BSafe is an app unlike anything we have seen on the market elsewhere, as not only does it use a live streaming function to provide both visual and audio real-time footage to your chosen contacts, but it also allows you to invite others to join you on your journey.
By adding your nominated contacts to join you on your journey via the map app, you know you are always being watched. This, coupled with the live streaming feature, means that you feel like you are with someone whilst going from A to B.
Additionally, you can receive fake phone calls if you feel unsafe or are in an uncomfortable situation.
#5 Shake2Safety
For quick, direct and discreet use, the Shake2Safety app is up there as one of the best. Send text messages, images and audio all with the simple shake of your phone.
Your phone can be locked, and you don’t need an internet connection for the app to do its thing, which is ideal if you are walking around Liverpool at night and don’t want to draw attention to yourself.
By shaking the phone, or alternatively by pressing the power button 4 times, you can send numerous text messages or do one phone call to your emergency contact. You can also share images with them, and your GPS location will be sent along with it.
Feel safe in your student accommodation in Liverpool
We appreciate that being a student living alone for the first time can be daunting, which is why you want to choose a student accommodation in Liverpool that feels safe and secure. Caro Lettings is one such accommodation that offers modern, well located student digs that all benefit from 24 hour emergency call out and secure fob operated entrances, as well as an onsite property manager during office hours.
So, if you’re still looking for the most secure, modern and homely student accommodation in Liverpool – check them out!
