Women For RestoreStaying safe
Free, simple tools that are already on your phone and in your community. Share this page with every woman you know.
Your phone can call for help
Most phones already have Emergency SOS. It calls 999 and sends your location to people you trust. It takes two minutes to switch on. Do it today.
iPhone
- Switch it on. Open Settings › Emergency SOS. Turn on Call with Hold and Release and Call with 5 Button Presses.
- Add your contacts. Open the Health app, tap your picture, then Medical ID › Edit. Under Emergency Contacts, tap Add, then Done.
- In an emergency. Press the side button 5 times quickly, or hold the side button and a volume button. Your iPhone calls 999, then texts your contacts your location.
- Share your location. Open Find My › People and choose Share My Location. Walking home? In Messages, use Check In so a friend is told when you arrive.
Android
- Switch it on. Open Settings › Safety and emergency › Emergency SOS and follow the setup. Can't find it? Search "Emergency SOS" in Settings.
- Add your contacts. In the same Safety and emergency menu, or the Safety app, open Emergency contacts and add the people you trust.
- In an emergency. Press the power button 5 times or more, quickly. Your phone calls 999 and can share your location with your contacts.
- Share your location. Open Google Maps, tap your profile picture, then Location sharing › New share. Choose who and for how long.
Can't speak?
Call 999 from a mobile. If you can't talk, cough or tap the phone, then press 55 when asked. This tells the operator you need help and puts you through to the police.
Never test with 999
Some phones have a demo or practice mode. Use that, or check the settings, but never make a test call.
Tell your contacts
Let the people on your list know they are on it, so they act on the message and don't ignore it.
Help someone else
Show your mum, daughter, sister or friend. Many women don't know their phone already does this.
Menus vary by phone model and software version. Steps checked against Apple and Google guidance, October 2026. In an emergency always call 999.
Safety tools many women don't know about
Free, simple and already there.
In an emergency
Silent Solution. If you call 999 from a mobile and can't speak, stay on the line and press 55 when prompted. The call handler will know it's a genuine emergency.
Text 61016. British Transport Police. Discreetly report harassment or unwanted behaviour on trains or at stations without making a call. Save it in your contacts.
what3words. Gives a precise three-word location for any 3m square. Most UK emergency services accept it, which helps on footpaths, in parks or on rural roads with no address.
Medical ID. Set up your phone's emergency info so responders can see your emergency contacts without unlocking it (see the phone steps above).
Out and about
Ask for Angela. Ask bar staff for "Angela" in participating venues and they will discreetly help you leave.
Drink spiking. Keep your drink with you and use a bottle stopper or cover. If you suddenly feel unwell, tell someone you trust and venue staff straight away. You can report spiking to the police even if you are not sure.
Taxis. Only use booked minicabs or licensed black cabs. Check the plate and driver's name match the booking before you get in, and share your trip with someone.
Walking home. Stay on well-lit, busier routes, keep one ear free if you wear headphones, and tell someone your route and when you expect to arrive.
Reporting and relationships
StreetSafe (police.uk). Report places that feel unsafe, such as poor lighting or people loitering, even if no crime has happened. You can do it anonymously.
Clare's Law. You can ask the police whether a partner, or the partner of someone you know, has a history of abuse or violence. Ask your local force online, on 101 or at a police station.
Online
Location. Turn off location tagging on photos and posts, and check who can see your live location on apps like Snapchat.
Posting. Be careful about sharing where you are in real time. Post about a place after you have left it.
In danger now? Call 999.
For anything else, call 101 or report online to your local police force. For support, see the helplines.
Ask for Angela, StreetSafe and what3words depend on local take-up: check with your local police and venues. Checked October 2026.