Take the Apps Against Abuse Challenge

One weekend I went to a soccer game by myself. Sure, I knew some of the people there, but I really didn’t feel all that safe in a crowd of strangers. I had my phone on me. Wouldn’t it be great if there was an app that kept you connected with family and friends and offered resources in case of an emergency? Something like that would have made me feel safer. We may not have to wait long for an app like that.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy are sponsoring Apps Against Abuse—a competition for the development of apps that would give young people tools to help prevent dating violence and sexual assault. The ideal app would be accessible from a smartphone or another Internet connected device. It would be quick and easy to use in the case of an emergency. The hope is that this app would help stop an attack by sharing the user’s whereabouts with family or friends and allowing a user to communicate that she or he is in danger.

Are you a budding programmer or just someone with a great app idea? You have until October 17, 2011, to submit your Apps Against Abuse idea at Challenge.gov. All applicants are welcome to take action, be creative and more importantly make a positive impact.