Violence Against Women
Source: The South African
Between Meghan Cremer, Uyinene Mrwetyana, and Government “calling on women to speak out and not allow themselves to become victims,” women all over the country are scared and angry.
This is no country for women, if the news is anything to go by. We shouldn’t have to rely on apps to keep us safe in our homes or when we go to the post office, but here we are.
Safety apps for women in South Africa
Project Namola
Namola is described as SA’s “leading safety app that helps you receive emergency assistance when you most need it.” The app also supports a family feature to ensure that your loved ones are safe.
With the app, you can access emergency services at the press of a button. Press the panic button and the Namola control room operators will make contact with you and alert responders.
From house robberies to accidents to health crises, Namola will be able to assist. Download the safety app here.
Memeza Shout Crime Prevention
While not an app, Memeza’s 140-decibel alarm saves lives. It’s light enough to carry and has the potential to scare criminals. Simply pull the black string to activate.
Memeza also sells a lipstick-sized pepper spray and a Mini GPS tracker necklace pendant that supports a microSIM, a two-way voice feature, as well as the option to listen in remotely.
Memeza Shout Crime Prevention won the People’s Choice Award at the 2018 Google Impact Challenge. We had the privilege of speaking with CEO and founder Thulile Mthethwe, who said:“Being selected as a finalist means we are doing the right thing, we’re doing it the right way, and we should not give up. We should go on because crime and gender-based violence affect all of us.”
Life 360
The Life 360 app supports location sharing and smart notifications to ensure your family’s safety. The app syncs your family “into a private, invite-only Circle, making it easy to plan and coordinate at the pace of life.”
It also offers ‘Crash Detection’, a feature that will alert your emergency contacts if you are involved in an accident and sends an ambulance to your location immediately.
The in-app chat feature allows family members to check in with each other. Download the safety app from the Apple iStore or Google Play Store.
MySOS SA
MySOS SA is a panic button that supports 2-way voice communication and GPS tracking used by more than 100 000 South Africans. The easy intuitive interface allows you to connect to emergency services.
Notify your emergency contact with a press of a button; your location will be sent to you pre-selected contacts when you can’t find your phone. A free safety app is available on Apple iStore and Google Play store as well.
Bull Horns Panic Button
The Bull Horns Panic Button app allows you to instantly, silently alert your community and emergency responders with just a shake of your phone.
If your security company is a Bull Horns partner, they’ll be able to see your exact location in real-time. You can also add and receive notifications about local crimes and suspicious activities.
Download the safety app from the Apple iStore or Google Play Store.