We hear it all the time, a person stuck in a domestic violence situation thinks there is no way out until it’s too late. Now with the help of a new app, people in the region of Milwaukee, Wisconsin have helpful options with only a few taps on their smartphone.
The mobile app, by Sojourner Truth, was created by a team of students in the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s App Brewery. It is a new option for protection against domestic violence. This free app allows people who are in violent relationships a connection to people who were also victims, a discreet way to contact authorities, and information on shelters and places that can help. Another feature is that the app becomes invisible so the abuser does not know of its presence.
This free app has received praise all over the state of Wisconsin. Kim Theno, a director of a homeless shelter at the Cathedral Center in Milwaukee tells Urban Milwaukee, “Anytime you can provide tools for people fleeing domestic violence, it’s a good thing. The more tools they have, the better”. In this article from Urban Milwaukee Mayor Tom Bennett even endorses the app to help domestic cases in his city.
The App is available in both English and Spanish, with a Russian version in development. There was no indication if this app will be available to a broader geography, but it would not be a surprise that either this group or another organization would consider developing such a crucial app.