Published
Wed, Mar 8, 2023, 14:35
- Friends can find each other in busy venues and alert each other when feeling vulnerable.
An app promoting nightlife safety allows friends to alert and find each other at venues using bluetooth technology.
WYA (AKA Where You At) uses bluetooth beacons placed eight metres apart to create a mesh network across a venue. This is then paired with micro-location technology so friends can find each other even in spots with no signal or Wi-Fi.
Speaking to Resident Advisor, founder Tamzin Lent said the idea was inspired by experiences of harassment and assault on nights out. "It's like Find My Friends on steroids," she said. "You can actively alert them if you feel unsafe. In the short term, we hope to tackle sexual assault. If someone's making you uncomfortable, you can bring your friends together, so you're not left alone with them."
Lent and her team are currently building a "night record," which will time- and place-stamp alerts so they can be reported to the venue or police. This means data-led decisions can be made by the venue. "If four alerts are made at the end of a dark corridor, venues can respond by installing a light or positioning another security officer there," Lent said.
As part of the research process, Lent and her team conducted a survey of 1,100 people. 95 percent of respondents said they felt unsafe at busy venues; 98 percent said they spent time "anxiously" searching for friends; and 73 percent said they'd feel more confident if they could find their friends more easily.
The results inspired Lent to start brainstorming early UI/UX designs. Coincidentally around the same time, several friends shared Facebook posts about being sexually assaulted on nights out. Lauren Levine, who now works at WYA, was one of these friends. "I reached out and told her about the app and we started to build a community," said Lent.
Levine shared her story with RA. In 2019, she was on a night out while living as a student in London. After becoming intoxicated, she was thrown out of a club. "Someone who was meant to be my friend took me home and proceeded to have sex with me," she said. "Obviously I couldn't consent: I'd say he raped me."
After Levine posted about her experience, 13 more women reached out to share similar stories. "All of us in the WYA team have either experienced sexual assault personally, or have a close friend who has," she added. "Unfortunately, the times when you most need your friends–when you're drunk and vulnerable–are the times when it's most difficult to find them. Hopefully WYA allows people to find each other so everyone gets home safe."
The app has already been tested at Nottingham Trent Students' Union and surrounding venues Rock City, Stealth, Rescue Rooms and The Level. Several venues in London are now trialling the technology, including E1, XOYO and Ministry of Sound. Venues in Germany, the US and Malaysia have also expressed interest.
The London launch party is scheduled for next Thursday, March 16th, at E1. Attendees will be able to test the app during DJ sets by Tai Lokun, Secret Luvvr and GEE LEE. There will also be an art exhibition, a panel and an opening speech by Lent. Find out more in the event listing below.
Another pilot event is planned for early April at Sheffield University. The app will then be rolled out during freshers week at several universities. In the meantime, it's currently available on the App store for different venues to test out.
To help with the rollout, WYA has partnered with the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA). Director Silvana Kill said she's "seen first hand how quickly an individual can become intoxicated, disorientated or simply lost." She believes the app is "a great solution for such circumstances."
Thu, Mar 16, 2023Tai Lokun