Opinion: A dystopian reality where women have to use phone apps to stay safe

It’s programmed into us from such a young age.

‘Carry your key between your fingers,’ ‘cross to the other side of the road when you see a man’ and, in more recent years, ‘text me when you’re home.’

Advancements in technology have undoubtedly made it easier to assure people of your safety – after every night out now there tends to be a new Whatsapp group set up called ‘home safe.’

But now with this new Stay Safe app women can actively be tracked on their way home, and I’m not sure how to feel about this.

As Zoe Jackson, from sexual assault charity Aurora New Dawn, commented: ‘Anything that makes women feel safer walking home is a good thing, but we should not have to rely on apps, better street lighting or increased CCTV in order to feel safe.’

I think I’m inclined to agree with her.

While an app such as Stay Safe could potentially help many women feel safer on their walks home at night – and even prevent some crimes from happening – the fact that the number of assaults in Portsmouth are continuing to rise shows this needs drastic action.

After Sarah Everard was murdered while walking home in London last year, the phrase ‘she was just walking home’ was repeated again and again.

Like the app, this is putting the onus on the victim to keep themselves safe.

Really we need to be asking why should they need to in the first place?

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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