Women's safety: Developer says new app inspired by apprentice

Mark Stanley said he hoped the app would be provided to other towns around the UK

A software developer has described creating an app to protect women after being inspired by his apprentice.

Mark Stanley, 54, from Reading made the MyWay app alongside 19-year-old Traecy Elezi.

The app shows a map and suggests safe walking routes to reduce anti-social and predatory behaviour.

It is currently only available in Reading through the Safer Streets Partnership with Reading Borough Council.

Sensors around the town measure movements and light levels, providing app users with advance notice of what is coming their way.

It was the brainchild of Ms Elezi, who moved to the town in 2019 to study computer science.

Traecy Elezi said the app was personal to her because she was affected by feeling unsafe at night

She said she had been left "shaking" after being approached in the street at night and knew other women who had also felt intimidated.

So she decided to pitch the app idea to Mr Stanley's company Thingitude during a gap year internship.

"I wanted to help other women feel safer at night," she said.

Police said Reading is relatively safe but that the town centre had more than 2,000 incidents of a violent or sexual nature reported last year.

And Ms Elezi's own research found many students in the town did not report incidents and preferred to walk on well-lit streets.

Mr Stanley entered the idea for a council competition that awarded funding for ideas that helped address community problems - and it won.

The MyWay App provides information to help people walk home using well-lit and safe routes

He said he had initially been sceptical about the need for the app, having not experience problems in Reading himself - but that he was persuaded by Ms Elezi's research.

"We know that most things like this go unreported so the real number would be bigger, and it was something that affected Traecy personally," he said.

Karen Rowland, Reading Borough Council's lead member for community safety, said: "Safety measures such as the MyWay Reading app and anti-spiking kits that the safer streets partners have introduced should aid in giving women that confidence in our town centre."

Det Ch Insp Laura Corscadden, of Thames Valley Police, said: "Whilst Reading is a safe place to live, work and visit, these new safety initiatives are welcomed."

Mr Stanley said he hoped the app would be rolled out to other towns and cities across the country.

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