Safety is something that women are always looking out for, no matter how careful they are. Women are more likely to be assaulted, harassed, or raped than men. Today there are safety apps available on the internet which can be downloaded and installed on smartphones. These safety apps can keep a permanent record of the events that take place during an unpleasant confrontation. Women safety apps also have security features that can help users to reach law enforcement authorities if needed. These safety apps can be one of the solutions to ensure women’s safety.

How do you pick a decent women’s safety app? A fantastic women’s safety app should include features such as live location tracking, fake call stimulation, location sharing, and an SOS feature that automatically contacts the state’s police department or a trusted circle. A good app will not drain the phone’s battery, will use very little phone space, and requires little data usage. The battery and data use are two factors to consider while selecting an app. The following are some of the women’s safety apps that were chosen at random and not based on performance.

1. Himmat Plus App

Himmat Plus App is a women’s safety mobile application by the Delhi Police. The app gives the user information about the driver before getting into their vehicle. The Himmat plus app verifies whether the registered owner of the vehicle is the same as the details given by him/her during registration. This will help the user to decide whether they want to travel or not. The app allows the user to scan the QR code displayed inside the registered public transports like taxis, auto-rickshaws, etc., and displays the owner’s name, photo, and complete profile for verification. If doubt remains about the authenticity of the driver then it can be reported with the “SOS” option available in the app. This feature helps Police officials to track the current location of the vehicle.

Highlights:

• Available in both Android and iOs
• Most downloaded travel safety app in Delhi

2. I’m Safe App

I’m Safe is a free smartphone app that employs cutting-edge technology to ensure the safety of women all over the world. When on a morning walk, hiking, trekking, or any other activity, the user may use the “Track me” function to inform friends about their whereabouts. When “SOS” functionality is triggered, alert communications with location details are sent to the users SOS contacts as SMS and app notification. During the SOS event audio and photographs are captured that are kept safe in the users account. The “I’m Safe” app uses Quantum Ledger Database to secure the pictures and audios collected during an SOS event. The data recorded is tamper-proof and cannot be erased, making it useful as evidence in future court cases. This app can be downloaded using the link https://imsafeapp.page.link/open

Highlights:

• App helps friends stay up-to-date on users’ live locations if the user allows and see their daily commute, jogs, hikes, and other adventures in real time.
• Free to use.
• Available to all users in every country.
• The audio and photo recording during an SOS event will continue at set intervals until the safe code received from one of the trusted contacts is entered.
• The SOS data cannot be erased even by I’m Safe which can be an useful evidence during law enforcement activities.

3. Smart 24×7 Personal Safety App

This free Android app lets the user send a travel alert with their GPS location to designated contacts in case of an emergency. The “PANIC” button allows the user to choose between police, fire department, or ambulance services and sends details about where the victim is located when he/she hits the panic button. This safety app makes it easy for anyone who needs help in locating their friends or contacting the authorities. If the GPRS is not working then intimation will be sent via SMS. There is also a Fake call feature to escape situations. The application records voice and also clicks pictures of the panic situation and sends them to the police.

Highlights: 

• Booking a cab is made easy
• Tracking the service providers location is possible (ambulance, police, etc
• 24×7 call centre assistance

4. Safetipin App

This app lets the user know which areas of the cities are safe, unsafe, or moderately safe using a safety score. They use crowdsourcing with a “quick audit” feature based on nine factors to rate the location. The nine factors include 

1. Lighting – Availability of enough light to see all around you
2. Openness – Ability to see and move in all directions
3. Visibility – Vendors, shops, building entrances, windows, and balconies from where you can be seen
4. People – Number of people around you
5. Security – Presence of police or security guards
6. Walk Path – Either a pavement or road with space to walk
7. Public Transport – Availability of public transport like metro, buses, autos, rickshaws
8. Gender Usage – Presence of women and children near you
9. Feeling – How safe do you feel

This app also allows the user to track loved ones when they invite them by clicking on the “track me” button. This app depends completely on crowdsourcing and hence if the quality and quantity of information from the people are not good then the app would not meet its goal.

Highlights: 

• Allows to choose the quickest and safest route
• The app helps to find a list of resources like police stations, NGOs, shelters, etc. that are near you.

5. Raksha Women Safety App:

The app sends the live location to the emergency contacts when the user hits the phone’s power button many times during a bad situation. It also provides safety tips for women at home, traveling alone, or when shopping. It discusses how laws against offending females can be penalized in India. The app also teaches self-defense techniques through videos. This helps the user to learn some valuable skills they might need if faced with an unpleasant confrontation. 

The app also connects to police, sends messages to family, shows nearby police stations, and also helps to easily contact emergency numbers with just a click of a button. This app might need a paid subscription.

Highlights: 

• This app is compatible with all devices and also educates users to face unpleasant situations.

6. Shake2safety App

The android app lets the user connect to their emergency contacts with just a shake of the phone. When in an emergency “shaking the phone” sends their emergency contacts the details of the user’s location with pictures and a help message. The sensitivity of the phone can be adjusted to avoid sending text messages, calls, or pictures by mistake. If that happens accidentally then the user can stop sending the message within 3 seconds. The app also records a 4 second audio during the SOS event. This app can be used during an accident, harassment, robbery, or any natural disaster. 

Highlights: 

• The app works even when the phone is locked
• Works even when there is no internet connection
• The app allows sending many texts to different phone numbers

7. Indian SOS Women Safety App

The Indian Women Safety App is a lifesaver for people in emergencies. The SOS option sends the user’s trusted contacts their location using the Google Map’s link included with an SMS alerting them that the user is effectively distressed–and needs their help right away. Women’s Safety app also provides tips for women’s safety, tips to escape from threats, Indian penal code sections related to women, and videos that help for self-defense.

Highlights: 

• Works without Internet
• SMS based
• Works even in low network signals
• No User Data is collected in the background
• Consumes less memory space

8. Citizen COP App

CitizenCOP has succeeded in lowering the barrier between citizens and the police department. CitizenCOP allows the user to assist a victim of a crime or be a witness to an incident.  This crime reporting app can also be used to get assistance in case of emergency, report criminal activity or illegal behavior anonymously, make emergency calls, send alerts, contact the cops, create a safe boundary with e-LakshmanRekha, check if the car has been towed, and more. The app’s features include real-time tracking, vehicle registration card details, news and traffic updates, auto-taxi rates, and more.

Highlights: 

• The app has its impact on projects relating to social problems such as safety, women’s empowerment, juvenile justice, education, the environment, and more.
• This app has motivated smart policing in some northern parts of India.

9. B-safe App

The B-safe app is a free and easy-to-use anti-harassment solution that gives the user ground-breaking technology for preventing and documenting violence, as well as threats, for loved ones, staff members, students, and community. In addition to location and tracking, some of the features that may help to stay safe include voice activation, live streaming, audio/video recording, fake call, and follow me. The app not only prevents criminal activity but also aids in the collection of evidence after it has occurred.

Highlights: 

• The app has over 100,000 articles published in media such as ABC, CNN, NBC, BBC, Fox News, and Forbes and millions of downloads worldwide.
• According to the website, the firm is now researching and testing drones in collaboration with emergency services, law enforcement, and other organizations as a possible additional tool to bSafe.

10. Sister App

Sister app is a tool against sexual harassment. The app is currently working with international NGOs to enhance the safety of women and girls all around the world. Sister app tells people where the user is so that they can see the user’s location in real-time and walk them home. The user can also click on the map and see where police stations to take safe routes. SOS is a clever and powerful feature that allows the user to quickly send their live location to their trusted contacts, notifying them that the user needs assistance. Also, the app shows the numbers of the emergency services to contact when in need. If something happens to the user’s phone, evidence is saved in the app’s cloud and It is safe and cannot be erased easily.

Highlights

• SOS can be activated with a long press of the volume button
• Sister provides protection 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to keep you safe throughout the day.