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The Victims

According to statistics provided by National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC), one in five women will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lifetime; this far outweighs similar statistics regarding men and sexual assault: 1:71. Rape, this report argues, is one of the most unreported crimes in America. Of men surveyed in an informal survey mentioned by Mary Dickson in her article, "A Women's worst Nightmare," many reported that they do not feel fear when walking down the street. However, in that same survey, women listed numerous things they feared. A gentlemen stated "as a man, I'm afraid of very little." Whereas when women were asked what they were afraid of, a list of things were said. One female responded, "I'm always afraid in a situation where there's somebody that could overpower me easily. I lock my doors, park in lighted areas, don't run in dark areas." This informal survey suggests that women feel a great deal of vulnerability as opposed to men.

Security

Living by a rape schedule means being aware at all times and avoiding any possibility of being a dangerous setting. There are numerous safety precautions taken to protect possible victims of rape. A new app called "Companion" has provided a sense security for many women. This new app allows for someone to virtually walk home with the app user. The app provides knowledge of where the person is going and ensures that that he/she make it to his/her destination. This app was initially created by college students, for college students so that, women specifically, can feel more secure when walking to places at dark hours.

This interactive app is used by women of all ages, not just college students. The app works by one picking someone from his/her contacts to be his/her "companion" in the app. As one walks to his/her destination, the companion can see where he/she is on a map — a link to a webpage with the map is sent to them in a text message, so people who do not have the app can still be companions. A similar app called "On Watch" lets a person send his/her location to selected contacts when something seems like a "fishy" situation. In just two taps, a user can transmit critical information--by phone, email, text, and social media--to their own support network, emergency services and Campus Police. Another app called "Safety Siren" operates like a rape whistle, and can go off at one's preference.

How "Companion" Began

Companion was created in early 2014 by students at the University of Michigan. The idea was derived from the crime alerts and the fact that not many students were taking advantage of the safety tools on campus, such as the school provided transit that students can call at any hour. This app, along with "Safety Siren" and "On Watch" is available to download for free on any Android or iPhone device. The creators are looking for more support for the app and have gone to students at different schools around the country to become ambassadors for it. Though it has been pretty slow, they plan for the popularity of the app to significantly grow by 2016.

Goals of these Apps

With enough support, the creators hope for the app, "Companion," to become something that everyone has access to so that they can feel safe on their walk home. Though all of these apps are not perfect means of protection, it is a way for authorities to track the areas where people feel most threatened and increase the patrols there. It will also give aid to solving crimes if something were to happen to someone as they were using the app. These apps has and will provide a better sense of security for people who have to walk home alone. In particular, girls, who are the target for most violent sexual assaults will know that help is on the way if something were to happen to them as they walk home. They are designed to provide protection and call attention to the increasing number of violent crimes, especially on college campuses.