Even though it was designed for use on college campuses, iPhone app Circleof6 can serve as a useful safety aid for anyone with text message capabilities. Installing the app should be a no-brainer because the SOS-sender was thoughtfully designed with your safety in mind.
In Circleof6 you’ll select six cell phone contacts. These should be people you trust implicitly and who are in close proximity to you—out-of-town friends and family won’t cut it. After you input all six of your contacts, the app will prompt you to send a text message to these people letting them know that you’ve named them as a contact. This is a smart idea; be sure to do this.
If you find yourself in a bad situation, use Circleof6 to quickly send an SOS. Tapping the center button will pop-up three icons: a car, a phone and a chat icon. Select the car and Circeof6 will send a text message to each of your contacts requesting that they come get you. A Google link with your location will be provided. The phone icon will prompt your friends to call you, which could provide a much-needed interruption depending on your situation. The chat icon will send a note to your friends that you’re looking into information on healthy relationships. I’m not sure how much use this last feature will get, but it’s a worthy option for passive people. A check mark in the lower left corner will signal to all that you’re OK and have been helped out of whatever situation you were in.
For more critical situations, the emergency exclamation point offers direct call links to the RAINN and Respect hotlines. The app will also allow you to input your own emergency number, such as a campus crisis center.
I was surprised that there isn’t an icon to dial 911 directly in app, but that’s only a minor miss in what is otherwise a well-conceived, incredibly useful service.
