HollieGuard the UKs most downloaded personal safety app, to combat Violence Against women and Girls, has played a vital role in alerting police when a woman was attacked in her home – showing just how useful technology can be in keeping domestic abuse victims safe. The woman was assaulted by her violent partner, who threw her in the bath and held her head underwater in an incident that took place in November last year. Thanks to this evidence, the attacker was sentenced to 22 months in prison at Grimsby Crown Court last week.
In the midst of the assault, the victim activated HollieGuard on her mobile phone. The app’s panic button triggered a rapid response, alerting Emergency Contacts, transmitting live footage of what was happening to Southern Monitoring Services, and notifying Humberside Police. The immediate and coordinated actions of law enforcement led to the quick rescue of the victim, and the arrest of her attacker.
Prosecuting, Daniel Lee told how the woman had raised an alert via HollieGuard on her phone which activated the camera on her phone and also alerted Humberside Police to the attack.
Video clips of the attack shown in court, captured Naif lifting his partner up in the bathroom and throwing her into the bath. Mr Lee said she was fully-clothed and in distress. As she sat in the bath, the camera on her phone showed her partner coming into the bathroom moments later and grabbing her hair and head and pushing her head under water.
Police and Crime Commissioner Jonathan Evison said, “One of the main commitments in my Police and Crime Plan is tackling Violence Against Women and Girls, Domestic Abuse and Stalking. This real-life example highlights the importance of the work we have being progressing over the past three years in ensuring the safety of the public, particularly in relation to Violence Against Women and Girls. The partnership with HollieGuard is one of many interventions to help protect anyone who may be vulnerable, and I am pleased that, in this case, it led to a successful prosecution.”
The court heard how the victim had been attacked after trying to end the relationship the previous evening. The attacker had a total of 17 previous convictions, 10 of which involved violence. He had also failed to alert his probation officer of the new relationship before carrying out the assault in the victim’s home.
The Hollie Gazzard Trust Nick Gazzard, commented, “HollieGuard was created with a commitment to enhancing personal safety. While we are horrified that our user went through such a traumatic ordeal, it is a source of immense pride that our app was instrumental in ending a violent attack and led to the arrest of the perpetrator.
“With over 600,000 downloads, we are proud to provide a tool that not only protects but also contributes to a greater cause – combating violence against women and girls.”
Developed with a mission to enhance personal safety, HollieGuard provides a suite of innovative features, making it a powerful tool against violence. User can raise an alert by simply shaking their phone. Additionally, discreet, and stealth modes offer a subtle way to raise an alert when the situation requires caution. Once activated, the app pinpoints the user’s location, activates the phone’s camera and microphone, and captures relevant information.
Alert details are then securely sent to the user’s chosen Emergency Contacts, providing them with a web link to the user’s location and the evidence captured by the phone. Quick links to contact the user for further assistance are also included. With Hollie Guard Extra, a professional police-approved response team contacts the user, escalating further if necessary.
Other features include a meeting timer and a Journey mode, giving greater peace of mind when travelling as it alerts emergency contacts and a monitoring centre if the user does not reach their destination safely.
Using the HollieGuard app is not only an investment in personal safety but also a contribution to the Hollie Gazzard Trust. The Hollie Gazzard Trust and PanicGuard developed HollieGuard after Hollie’s murder to combat Domestic Abuse and Violence against Women and Girls across the UK
For more information, visit https://hollieguard.com
