Staying
Safe
LOOK AFTER YOURSELF
-
If you are walking at night, stick to well-lit and busy streets and try to walk home in a group.
-
Stay vigilant when using your mobile phone, especially at night.
-
Make sure you’re not showing off any valuables. It’s a good idea to carry your bag close to you with the clasp or pocket facing inwards. Keep it zipped, so your wallet or purse can’t be seen.
-
Pick up a free personal alarm at Student Advice & Wellbeing or the Union office to keep with you at all times.
-
If you or someone you know is a victim of a crime or is at risk, call the police on 999.
LOOK AFTER YOUR STUFF
-
Register your possessions with Immobilise so that the Police can return any stolen items if found.
-
Shred documents with personal details once they're not needed.
-
Keep PINs safe.
-
Don't respond to fake or scam emails asking for your personal details.
LOOK AFTER YOUR HOME
-
Make sure that all windows and doors are always locked, especially when you’re not at home.
-
Turn off any computers or TV’s and make sure you keep your valuables out of sight.
SAFETY APPS
Your personal safety is something that is our highest priority here at Leeds Arts University. Everyone deserves to feel and be safe whether that’s in the building, walking through the city or even at home. Being safe means being smart, so we’ve put together some suggestions that could provide you with that added security and peace of mind.
​
With this in mind, we have put together a list of some of the top safety apps available, as well as letting you know about some features that may already exist on your phone.
​
Don’t forget that we have personal attack alarms, free and available to anyone who wants one in the Union.
KITESTRING
Kitestring is great because you don’t need a smartphone to reap the benefits of the service. Whether you’re going for a run, walking back from the shops or a friends house, all you have to do is text Kitestring so they know when to check in with you.
Once you receive your text, if you get back in contact with them in the allotted time, there’s nothing to worry about. However, if you don’t get in contact, a message will be sent out to your emergency contact.
bSAFE
bSafe is the safety app of all safety apps, packed full of functions to ensure you feel safe when you’re out and about.
bSafe allows you to create a safety network of entrusted contacts who can then see your location on a map via GPS. As well as that, if you find yourself in a dangerous situation, one press of the SOS button will notify your contacts, and both a video and audio stream will begin.
Furthermore, the app lets you schedule fake phone calls, as well as having a timer function, which if you don’t disable in time will alert your emergency contacts.
​
LIFE360
Life360 is great because not only does it help your friends and family know where you are, it also lets you keep up-to-date with them. Once you’ve set up your circle of trusted contacts, you can send and receive real-time updates whenever someone leaves or arrives at a new location.
​
ONE SCREAM
Created for those moments when your first reaction is to scream, One Scream is a voice activated app that will activate an alarm on your phone if it detects a panic scream. Your phone will then vibrate, let off a loud siren, and the lights will flash. You’ll then have 20 seconds to deactivate the alarm if you’re not in danger. If you don’t press it, an automated voice call and text are sent to your entrusted contacts with your name and location.
​
WALKSAFE
WalkSafe provides the information and intuitive features that allow you to regularly check areas of crime, identify trouble spots and take action. The WalkSafe map visualises crime reports published monthly by the police. This helps users to see where serious crimes have been committed, to spot patterns and to identify regular trouble spots. They publish key data twice weekly. The WalkSafe app also scans the road ahead, alerting users when they walk near areas that have seen reports of knife attacks, sexual assault, mugging and pick-pocketing.
​
WHAT CAN MY PHONE ALREADY DO?
Whether you have an Android or an iPhone, your phone will already have pre-installed features that will help you stay safe when you're out and about. Here's a quick run down!
ANDROID
​
Emergency Information
Getting your emergency information set up on your android is pretty simple. All you have to do is go into your device’s settings and select 'About phone' followed by 'Emergency information'. From there you’ll be able to input information similar to that of Apple’s Medical ID.
​
Personal Safety App (Pixel only feature)
Similarly to the apps mentioned, the personal safety app lets you share your location with an emergency contact if you ever feel unsafe or want to keep someone updated with your whereabouts; such as, if you’re out on a run or walking home late.
​
Emergency Location Sharing
With the Emergency Location Service (ELS), if its supported in your area, when you call an emergency number, your device will automatically send your location to emergency responders.
​
Activate Find My Device
This setting will most likely be turned on by default. If your phone is lost or stolen, you can visit: google.com/android/find to track it down, play a sound or erase the data.
iOS
​
'14' | '17' | '999'
If you say ‘14’ or ‘17’ to Siri, your phone will bring up the option to call the emergency services wherever you are in the world. The function also works if you say 999.
​
Emergency SOS
Emergency SOS lets you covertly contact the emergency services in your region without taking the phone out of your pocket. On an iPhone 8 and above, continually holding the hold side button and a volume button will trigger a loud alert, and the call will be made automatically. On an iPhone 7, rapidly press the side or top button to activate the emergency SOS screen.
​
Medical ID
Medical ID stores your critical medical information for easy access if you happen to become incapacitated. The same screen that displays Emergency SOS will also display your medical ID. You can display such information as your date of birth, weight and height.
​
Find My Friends
Find My Friends is a built-in app that allows you to track your friends' locations . Once you're connected, you can choose to share your location with any of your friends.
NIGHTLIFE SAFETY
We know a lot of you enjoy a night out or a bit of a party and we want to make sure you have the best time. So here are a few tips to ensure nothing gets in the way of a good night and keeps everyone safe as well!
​​
STAY HYDRATED
The number one tip is to stay hydrated (with water!) It’ll help flush away any toxins so you can avoid that dreaded hangover. It’ll also promote clearer skin and help your metabolism run better.
​
EAT A MEAL
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is not eating properly, especially before a night of drinking. Make sure you ‘line your stomach’ before any kind of drinking to stay feeling on top of your game, and ensuring you don’t run out of steam whilst you’re out.
​
WRITE IT DOWN
Phone batteries die (especially iPhones!) It takes 2 mins to copy down a few phone numbers on to a piece of paper to keep in your purse/wallet. That way if your phone dies, breaks, gets stolen or is lost, you can still get in touch with someone you trust.
​
MINGLE DON'T MIX
It’s great to meet new people or catch up with old pals. One thing which can have a really bad effect is mixing what you put into your body. Try to stick to one type of drink group (e.g. spirits, wines, beers) to feel your best the next day. Never push your body too far, and really consider the consequences before you risk it.
​
ASK FOR ANGELA
If you find yourself in a situation you want to get out of ask the bartender ‘for Angela’. They should know that this means you feel unsafe and they’ll help you get out discreetly and safely and can even call you a taxi.
​
KEEP AN EYE OUT
A great night out can turn nasty very quickly. Keep an eye out for anyone who looks in distress or uncomfortable. Checking in on your friends or even strangers can be the best thing to do. If you were in an uncomfortable position, you’d be so grateful that someone took a second to check up on you.
​
TRUST YOUR INSTINCTS
At the end of the day, you’re an adult, and your instincts will probably be pretty accurate! If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t. Don’t feel afraid to make a decision based on just a gut feeling and never push yourself to do something you’re not comfortable with.
​
GO IN GROUPS
If possible, stay in a group of 3-5 people, make sure there’s enough of you that you feel safe, but also remember it’s easy for one person to go missing in a large group.
​
TRACK YOUR MATES
It might sound a bit Black Mirror, but having your mates (or your mum/siblings if you’re at home home) on Find My Friends or similar apps can be really reassuring. Whether it’s just quickly checking they got home safe or knowing that your friends can see where you are in case you need help. Sharing (your location) is caring.
​
CALL TIME
Sometimes you realise you just don’t want to be there. That’s ok, there’s no point in staying out when you’re not enjoying it. Just make sure you let the people you’re with know you’re leaving and have a way to get home safely
​