Traveling around the world is one of life’s great joys, but it can be a bit dangerous at times, especially if you’re riding solo. Recently, in a story that went viral on Twitter, a woman who goes by the name Maya Angelique recounted the harrowing ordeal of a man who attempted to break into her room at a DC hotel. It’s the kind of situation that spurred the creation of SafeUP.
The app is billed as a “community safety network that enables women to protect one another.” The goal is to ensure that every woman feels safe, protected, and empowered.
The app was the result of an incident co-founder Neta Schreiber experienced at a house party nine years ago where a friend disappeared.
“My friend and I searched for her in a panic, and, as we headed upstairs, we heard her voice amidst a group of men’s voices,” she recounted. “We went into one of the rooms and there they were; the men and our friend, half-naked, fighting them. When they noticed us, the men immediately fled. We managed to get there just in time. Luck and women saved my friend that night. In 2019, I decided to develop an app that would unite women under the common goal of mutual protection and safety. I believe that together we can harness the incredible power of women in order to change the world.”
To connect with the SafeUP community open the app to see all the guardians nearby. When a community member taps the Call Guardians button, those in the vicinity will be alerted. When connected, the caller can choose between a video or an audio call. The guardians will remain on the call until the member feels safe again. All the company’s guardians are vetted, over 18, and trained to handle calls of distress.
SafeUP launched one year ago in Tel Aviv, Israel, and recently debuted in the United States. According to the company’s PR representative Mira Marcus, the app currently has 90,000 users despite not having an official US launch.
“There are communities in many cities that have grown organically. We have communities in all 13 large metropolitan centers in the US, all big cities in Canada, and many major European capitals.”
Download SafeUp for an extra layer of support while traveling.
