Like almost every woman across the country, I was unbelievably devastated to hear the news regarding Sarah Everard, but also like many, I was not surprised to hear the stories of harassment that followed.
With most of us having experienced harassment in some form during our lifetime, it has been hugely refreshing to finally see a conversation and discussion over how it can be stopped.
However, when I headed out for a walk just a few nights ago in Edinburgh, the recent events of the last week made me even more aware of my surroundings, and perhaps a little more anxious than before.
Although it seems as if change is very much on the horizon, I was looking for something that would help both myself and other women feel safe when out alone.
Why was the Hollie Guard app created?
I came to hear about the Hollie Guard app a few months ago, but only remembered all of its features when I was looking for something that help make me feel safer.
The app was created in memory of Hollie Gazzard, a 20-year-old hairdresser who was tragically killed by her ex-boyfriend at her place of work in 2014.
The murder shocked the country, after Hollie had left her boyfriend just days earlier after months of “obsession, jealousy and a campaign of harassment."
After downloading the app, I decided to test it out to see how it functioned, and if it would really be beneficial for staying safe, and I cannot recommend it enough.
Making a profile
The app is free to download, although you can upgrade to payment plans if you so wish. However, all the main features are available on the basic version, which is the one I went for.
After opening the site, you are asked to fill in a profile which will be essential in keeping you safe. It includes your name, height, build, and also asks for some emergency contacts.
These contacts are what will be vital to using the app, so to test it out I chose two close contacts of mine and entered their names and phone numbers.
After doing so, both were instantly alerted via text that they were an emergency contact on the app.
This means that your movement, alerts and journeys are logged with these contacts, and will allow them to help you if you are in trouble.
How does it work?
The app has multiple functions, and you can find a more detailed break down here.
After allowing it to access your location, you can open Hollie Guard at any time and will come up with a map where you are, and a very prominent 'emergency alert' button.
You can click this at anytime, and it will instantly send an alert to your contacts that you are in danger. If you allow it, the app will also send an exact GPS location of where you are and can also begin automatically live-streaming from your phone's camera to your emergency contacts.
This vital setting can be accessed simply with the click of a button, or a shake of your phone if you allow it. However, if you discover you are not in danger, or have sent it by accident, you can cancel it by entering your pin code for the app.
There is also a feature where you can 'log a journey', in which you enter your start and end location, as well as a time for how long you think it will take you to get there.
If you do not arrive there by the time allocated, the app will alert your contacts, as well as asking you "are you safe?".
The app can also log if you appear to have tripped or fallen, incase you have injured yourself, and go through the exact same alert process.
The test
To try the features out, I set up my profile and contacts, before logging that I would be taking a short walk down a local footpath.
My emergency contacts then received a text that I was on the move, and could track my location if they so wished.
During my walk, I was able to access other apps etc, while Hollie Guard ran safely in the background.
When I arrived at my destination, the app popped up and asked me if I had arrived at my destination, and then if I was safe.
To try the emergency feature, I said no, and activated an alert, having already pre-warned my contacts I was going to do so to avoid any panic.
The alert immediately came up on their phones, with my location and access to the audio and video link if they wished to use it.
I then was able to cancel the alert easily, after which they were informed I was safe.
Overall review
I really cannot recommend this app enough. It was extremely thorough, easy to use and really did give me an added sense of security when I was out alone.
Although not a complete 100 per cent protection for an incident that might occur, the different features made me feel much more comfortable that I could alert someone that I was in danger in a much more discreet manner.
The app describes itself as "safeguarding people when it matters", and I couldn't agree more.
You can find more information on the app and a link to download it here.
