iWitness Works with Seattle University to Help Keep Students Safe

SEATTLE, Aug. 27, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Thousands of people are the victim of assault each day in the United States.  Now, there's a personal safety app for iPhone and Android devices aimed at preventing attacks. It's called iWitness and it gives people a way to protect themselves using their smartphones.

Seattle University is the first college campus to encourage students to use this service.

"My goal is to ensure the safety of the Seattle University community not only when they are on the SU campus, but in their daily lives," said Tim Marron, Executive Director of Public Safety and Transportation for Seattle University. "iWitness is an additional tool that we are presenting to our community. While using the application can potentially serve as a preventive measure, we believe the very act of installing the application will serve as a catalyst for heightening a student's awareness."

Here's how it works. You simply download the iWitness app to your smartphone. You touch 'record' and 'arm' your phone if you're walking alone, in an uncertain situation, or just feel uncomfortable. The app records a video clip – and automatically uploads it to a cloud server. The video does not stay on your phone. There's nothing anyone can do to get the video off your phone, because it's not there.

iWitness also calls 911 automatically, can sound an alarm, and  informs the student's friends and family that they feel endangered.

A few daily crime statistics:
-1 in 6 women have been the victims of an attempted or completed rape
-Every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted
-5,000 people are treated for assault in an ER each day

"Our mission is clear. We put safety in the hands of every person," said iWitness founder David Remer. "We want to make sure that students have access to tools that will help them stay safe. iWitness helps parents provide their kids an added layer of protection as they head off to college, whether it be just down the road or across the country."

About iWitness
iWitness is a personal safety tool that was developed to help prevent crime. Once you download the application on your smartphone, you have an "eyewitness" whenever you need one. The service is available for download on iOS and Android mobile platforms. iWitness is headquartered in Seattle.

CONTACT:  Melissa Milburn, Milburn Communications, [email protected], 206.972.9096

SOURCE iWitness