Due to sociological problems, the instances of rape is on the rise and many devices have been made to counter this moral epidemic. Women carry taser guns, pepper sprays and practice martial arts to ward off any potential rapists away in the lonely alleys and dark passageways. However, people know that a single taser gun or spray can only last for a while, and if the proprietors of the crime are in number, it becomes increasingly likely that they will overpower the woman and assault her. She needs backup and fast response from the law-enforcement agencies at that. This latest women accessory developed in the States Named Athena is a wearable device the size of a coin. It can be worn as a belt and even as a necklace. When the button on it is pressed, it emits a loud alarm and sends text messages and user’s location to people in the user’s emergency contacts immediately.
The product is currently undergoing a crowdfunding campaign on IndieGoGo and it has already raised more than five times of its initial goal of 40,000 $. The initial offer is that backers can get Athena for a mere 75$ when later, it will go on retail for the price of 99$.
Yasmine Mustafa, the co-founder of the project said the inspiration for this useful device came from her recent trip the South America where she constantly was bombarded with news of sexual assaults on women even in front of their own homes. That is when she had the idea for Athena, named after Greek Goddess of Intelligence and strategic warfare. The device has a small Bluetooth chip that connects with a smartphone to send text messages. The alarm goes off when the button is pressed and can only be turned off by the user herself. There is also an option for silentROAR that is meant fo domestic violence and it doesn’t trigger the alarm but sends the location to emergency contacts of the user.
The startup aims to incorporate further technology into the apparel by making device contact with the police and law-enforcement agencies to respond when the user is under attack. It can also be used by young children for safety as well since they are also under attack more frequently these days.