A NEW app which aims to help victims of stalking and domestic abuse is being made available to vulnerable people in Hampshire.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) and housing association VIVID have supported the growth of the new safety service by donating £2,457 to the Hollie Gazzard Trust.
It follows a sharp rise in domestic violence during the lockdown, which resulted in woman being trapped at home with abusive partners.
Recipients of the new app, Hollie Guard, include people who are being supported by the Hampshire-based domestic abuse charity Aurora New Dawn.
Hollie Guard turns a smartphone into a personal safety device. Shaking the device results in the user's location, along with audio and visual evidence of the incident, being sent to an emergency contact via text and email.
Shaking it again triggers a high-pitched alarm.
The trust was launched in 2014 by Nick Gazzard following the murder of his 20-year-old daughter, who was stabbed to death by an ex-partner outside the Gloucester hair salon where she worked.
Mr Gazzard said the new funding would enable the trust to provide Hollie Guard to people being supported by Aurora New Dawn.
He added: "Since we launched Hollie Guard in 2015, we have received incredible feedback about the difference it has made to people who have found themselves in dangerous situations.
"Whilst anyone can choose to upgrade there's a small charge for this service to cover the cost of providing it.
"With this grant funding ten vulnerable people will be able to use the service free of charge for 12 months, giving them additional peace of mind during these very challenging times.”
Grant Cornwell, chief executive of HIWCF, added: "The recent lockdown policy has led to an increase in reports of abuse within the home.
"HIWCF is committed to supporting the work of charities that offer those in need the confidence and reassurance that someone will be there for them should they need it.”
Jonathan Cowie is chief operating officer at Portsmouth-based VIVID.
He said: “We’re really pleased to be able to work in partnership with the Hollie Gazzard Trust and Aurora New Dawn to fund and support the first pilot of this service in Hampshire.
"We’re identifying some of our own customers who may benefit from being part of this trial.
"And as the first housing association trialling this innovative technology, we’ll be looking at the benefits it provides the users to see if we could roll this out more widely to our customers in the future.”
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