The first time I walked the streets of Manhattan alone at night, I was 18 and terrified. I now know that I was walking from the West to the East Village, and through one of the safest parts of the city, but at the time I was just a doe-eyed youth and non-NYC native, afraid of being kidnapped, or groped, or probably just looked at the wrong way.
On that night almost four years ago, I called my best friend and made her talk to me for the entire 20 minute walk, so that she could notify the authorities/my parents/large news stations if I was to go missing. Yes, I am paranoid, but I’m not the first and won’t be the last woman to have this fear. Almost every woman I know has walked home at least once knowing no one would be checking in to see if they made it home okay, and that thought is straight terrifying.
The web app Kitestring has got your back, girl. Think of Kitestring like your new cool mom/cyber BFF. You program the app with your emergency contacts, your location, and the duration of your trip. At a time you specify, Kitestring sends you a text just to, you know, check up on you. If you are able, you respond to the text and let them know all’s good. If you don’t respond to the text, the app alerts your emergency contacts.
I know what you’re thinking — the ONE time I don’t respond to the safety text because I fall asleep or jump straight in the shower, my real mom is going to flip out. But you and I both know it’s worth that risk, in case the worst-case scenario ever does occur. *Knocking on so much wood*
To get it going, you have to sign up and register your details on Kitestring’s website.
Perfect for blind or online meet-up dates, walking home at night, or feeling safe in any dangerous situation, Kitestring is like the virtual mom I’ve always needed, especially if your mom is like mine and is never awake past 8:30pm.
Be sure to spread the word about this awesome app — like, post, share, and tweet so that every woman (or every person for that matter) can have a robot guardian angel in their pocket, and stay safe.
