Now, an application on your smartphone can come to your rescue if you are stuck in a dangerous situation.
Android app
The Android-based Self-defence Tutorials can give individuals much-needed tips in the form of videos and other tips. The application has more than 900 videos that help people to learn self-defence tricks.
Another application called ‘self-defence tips for women’ gives special tips to women to overcome any form of attacks. The developer created this application to prevent women from getting ‘helpless’ in case of an attack. The application enables the person to be prepared in any situation.
It gives information on basic self-defence moves one can employ to resist an attacker, ideal weapons for self-defence, effective martial arts, correct posture in self-defence, being alert in high-risk places and in dealing with the aftermath.
After the recent Delhi gangrape case, pepper sprays have moved from cupboards to hand bags and people have become more alert on the roads. The increasing violence seems to have moved India higher on the ranks of ‘most dangerous countries’ in the world. India ranks 142 on the Global Peace Index 2012. In the index, nations were rated for safety, based on a wide range of factors, including: homicides, violent crimes, violent demonstrations, police activity, perceived criminality in society, political instability, weapons importing/exporting and access, terrorist activity, neighbouring country relations, and deaths from conflicts.
An interesting application is the ‘Personal safety alarm.’ The purpose of a personal safety alarm is to shock and disorientate an attacker, giving the individual vital seconds to get away. Although it may not be as loud as a real personal safety alarm, the application claims to provide those necessary extra few seconds when one can run away. Some of these applications are chargeable.
Iphone app
The iPhone has a similar but more detailed application called ‘MyPanic.’ In case an individual is stuck in a difficult situation and has no way out, the app can be used to find the exact position through GPS and send an emergency message to the family and friends (who’s details are to be fed during installation).
The application also sends the message to the person’s Facebook and Twitter account with the exact location, which ensures an easy locate. It also has pre-installed emergency numbers which one can dial.
Although these apps may not be exact life-savers, they could definitely grant an individual a quick escape route!