bSafe: New app to prevent assaults. (Photo: Vegard Grøtt/bSafe)

In these days, Norwegian high school graduates are beginning their traditional month-long graduation party. The so-called Russetid involves a lot of partying, pranks, alcohol and socializing in major parties arranged all over Norway. How fun that might seem, the consequences can be catastrophic.

Read more about the Russe celebration: Clowns for a Whole Month – Norwegian High School Graduates.

Last year, an eighteen-year-old girl reported a gang rape during a Russe party in Lillehammer, and in 2013, eight rapes related to a Russe party were reported.

To protect themselves from unpleasant situations and getting help during an assault or rape, Norwegian entrepreneur Silje Vallestad offers every graduate in Norway access to a new alarm called bSafe.

It works as an app: After pressing the alarm button, a station is alerted, then camera and location is activated. One can also use bSafe to locate friends.

– The reason why we want to give this to the graduates is that they are particularly vulnerable in their Russetid. There is a lot of alcohol, and every year, rapes happen among them, Vallestad currently living in Palo Alto, California, writes in an email to newspaper Nordlys.

She adds that such alarm not only provides safety for the graduates, but also for the parents – letting them know if something happens.

The app includes several features: For example choose to receive a fake call if you want to get out of a situation, or signal to the surroundings that you are not alone.

Vallestad offers Norwegian graduates their Premium version, which includes all the features. bSafe Premium is officially released in Norway on May 1.

The app is adapted whether you have android, iphone or another phone, and Vallestad says that the app has already saved lives.

– The alarm has been used both during serious accidents, and it has prevented assaults.

According to Kripos (Norwegian NCIS), alcohol related rapes constitute the largest proportion of reported rapes in Norway. Girls between 17 and 25 years old have the highest risk of being exposed.

Text modified by: Anette Broteng Christiansen, ThorNews

Categories: Sports & Health