The WalkSafe app, which is free to download, is an initiative aimed at helping people make safe journeys no matter the time of day.
It lets people pick known safe routes through the city, as well as allowing them to share their location with family or friends, as well as sending an automatic alert out if a person fails to reach their intended destination.
The roll out of this app goes hand in hand with the steps already taken by the City Council and its partners across Manchester to make the nighttime economy safe for everyone, but especially women.
It is understandable that in the years following the tragic and avoidable murders of both Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa that a huge amount of focus has been placed on how cities can be made safe for people at night.
In response, Manchester City Council launched the Women’s Night-time Safety Charter in 2022, offering free training and guidance to venues across the city on how to support and promote safety.
With the arrival of WalkSafe to Manchester, the Council hopes that it will help and empower even more people to feel safe no matter who they are or where they are going, day or night and promote venues and businesses who are making womens safety a priority.
WalkSafe is the brainchild of 34-year-old Emma Kay who, as a daughter of a Metropolitan Police officer, was subject to many rules to keep her and her siblings stay safe when out and about. Despite this, she experienced catcalling, following, groping and flashing – incidents which sadly occur too often to many women across the world.
As an adult Emma volunteered at a community centre for people in crisis and saw firsthand the experiences women had, specifically their fear of the streets at night, confirming her fear that personal safety is an issue that affects everyone.
Emma’s career in childcare highlighted the importance of educating young girls and boys about issues like consent, gender bias and the importance of preventative actions. She built WalkSafe as she believes technology, combined with vision can genuinely save lives.
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Download the WalkSafe app here