Latest news with #personalSafety
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
The sad reason why a $29 Bunnings buy is selling out across Australia
As concerns over personal safety grow across Australia, a pocket-sized device from Bunnings is becoming a must-have item for women, and now their children too. The Swann Graphite Gen 2 ActiveResponse Personal Alarm, retailing for just $29, is flying off the shelves as more women turn to the affordable gadget for extra peace of mind. But it's not just adults who are reaping the benefits of this modern safety essential, concerned mums are now purchasing the alarm for their kids as they become more independent. Small enough to clip onto a key ring or backpack, the device features two alarm modes: a siren and flashing light activated by pulling the keychain for immediate attention, and a discreet red button that silently sends an SOS message with real-time GPS coordinates to designated emergency contacts. 'Every parent should get one of these for your child,' one Bunnings reviewer raved. 'It's amazing how well it works.' The surge in popularity reflects a broader trend in Australia, where women, particularly mothers, are increasingly investing in personal safety tools amid rising concerns about violence and street harassment. In a 2023 report by Australia's National Research Organisation for Women's Safety, nearly two-thirds of Australian women reported feeling unsafe walking alone at night. It's no surprise then that products like the Swann personal alarm are gaining traction as a modern solution to an age-old problem. 'This is a wonderful product, small and well made,' another reviewer wrote. 'I bought this for my child who has just started high school and has started catching public transport... We've tested it a few times just to be sure and it's amazing how well it works.' For mums like this, the device offers 'a little bit of backup just in case.' 'I'm not paranoid,' she wrote in her online review, 'but you still want that little bit of backup… She barely notices it's there, and I know if anything ever felt off, she could press the button and I'd get the alert straight away.' Unlike traditional personal alarms, the Gen 2 version includes built-in mobile connectivity and GPS, removing the need to pair with a smartphone - a critical feature for younger users or those who may not always carry their phones. The personal alarm also has the tick of approval from New Zealand TikToker Jen Lourdes, who posted a now-viral video on the device. Jen said she picked up the device after seeing other women recommend it as a simple but effective way to feel a little safer. 'There was a lady on TikTok that recommended getting the personal alarm,' Jen said. The small, pocket-size device packs a serious punch when it comes to making enough noise to help ward off danger 'This is really great if you're going runs or you're solo travelling, or if you work night shifts.' The small, sleek, pocket-size device doesn't look like much, but packs a serious punch when it comes to making enough noise to (hopefully) ward off danger. 'What you do is you pull it, and it makes a really loud noise,' Jen explained. Alternatively, you can push a button and it texts a friend or family member. Compact enough to clip onto a keychain or lanyard, the alarm is easy to carry during a jog, stash in a handbag or keep close while walking to the car after a night shift. 'I'm slowly started to get into running so I thought it would be perfect to take with me when I go on a run,' Jen added. 'I also do a lot of solo travelling for work, I feel like it's just a bit of extra security.' While it's comforting to know gadgets like this exist, the surge in popularity sadly reflects a growing reality: women in 2025 are still forced to think about personal safety every time they step outside alone. 'The fact that we live in a world where we need this to feel safe,' one follower commented. 'These should be handed out for free at police stations tbh. Genius!' added another. While the Swann ActiveResponse offers a quick, affordable way to feel more empowered, the hope remains that one day, women won't have to plan their day around personal protection. For now though, many are praising Jen and others like her for spreading the word about such a useful gadget. 'Omg this is such a good idea!! Need this asap.'
Daily Mail
19-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Woman issues warning about disturbing act at Aussie servo
An Aussie woman has expressed her outrage after she witnessed a 'creepy' exchange between two men at a service station. Claire Champion was concerned for a female worker's welfare after overhearing a conversation at a Metro Petroleum in Tahmoor on Sydney 's south-west outskirts on Saturday. In a video shared to TikTok, Ms Champion explained she overheard an older man enquiring about a female worker's shift schedule with her male colleague. She said the customer did not know the female worker's name or when she would be working next until her colleague confirmed her name was Ally and shared her upcoming shift rotation. Ms Champion was alarmed by the conversation and believes the information shouldn't have been passed on without Ally's consent. 'I know this is a long shot in reaching you, but I know for a fact that if that was me, I would not want someone who didn't know me well enough, to ask me my work schedule and didn't know my name,' she said. Ms Champion urged followers to track down Ally so that she was aware that personal information had been given out to a customer. '[The man] was asking a lot of questions about you,' she said in her plea to Ally. 'I wouldn't want them knowing that information about me, so I hope this reaches you. 'Stay safe out there Queens.' Many viewers agreed that Ally's colleague was in the wrong with some going as far as say he should be sacked. 'Sharing personal information about a co-worker—like their name, schedule, or any other details—with someone we don't know is a serious breach of privacy,' one wrote. 'It doesn't matter how harmless the request might seem; we have a responsibility to protect each other's personal information in the workplace. 'We never know what someone's true intentions are, and giving out that kind of info without permission can put someone at risk or make them feel unsafe.' Another added: 'Ally, your co-worker needs a talking to,' another commented. A third wrote: 'Genuinely baffled why her colleague did this?' Others assured Ms Champion that she had done the right thing. 'Girls protecting girls in Australia – this is amazing,' one woman wrote. Micha Hayek, whose family runs Metro Petroleum Tahmoor, reviewed CCTV of the incident after coming across Ms Champion's video. 'Our team member did get reprimanded and the entire team got an updated briefing on the safety of privacy and protecting each other at work and how to act in these situations,' Ms Hayek told 'Because our station is in a small town, we have many return customers so after we showed Ally the footage to see what our next steps should be, it turns out he has been her regular customer for a while and she knows him, and he was just asking because she is not working her usual hours.' While Ms Champion was inundated with support for her video, not everyone agreed with her approach. In a subsequent video she clarified some details after being asked why she hadn't contacted the service station directly. She explained she had no way of knowing if the male worker was, in fact, the manager and therefore lodging a complaint to him wouldn't have been helpful to Ally. Ms Champion also noted the service station was remote and didn't want to put herself in a potentially dangerous situation by intercepting the conversation as she justified her actions. 'My job was to make sure she was aware that a potential stranger knew her weekly schedule and was asking multiple questions about her,' she explained. 'This video made it to Ally and her family, as well as the service station manager. My approach worked, why criticise me for trying to do the right thing?'
Finextra
14-05-2025
- Finextra
TSB offers free access to personal safety app Hollie Guard Extra
UK bank TSB is offering customers who are fleeing or experiencing abuse free access to personal safety app Hollie Guard Extra for a year. 0 Hollie Guard Extra, the paid-for version of the free Hollie Guard app, costs £7.99 a month and transforms an everyday smart phone into a personal safety device. With a tap or shake of the device, the user can send alerts to chosen emergency contacts, including the police, and a 24/7 monitoring centre. The app allows for a user's location to be shared every five seconds, alongside audio and video recordings to help keep people safe in a vulnerable or potentially dangerous situation. TSB customers can now download the app and add a unique activation code for free access. Anyone wishing to claim can discuss their situation in branch, over the phone or via video banking. Downloaded by more almost 500,000 people in the UK, Hollie Guard Extra is used by police forces across the country and has led to numerous arrests. TSB has added the free Hollie Guard Extra access to its existing domestic abuse support, which includes its Emergency Flee Fund which provides up to £500 to help customers escape an abuser, and in-branch and online safe spaces. Minister for safeguarding and violence against women and girls, Jess Phillips MP, says: "TSB's initiative shows how businesses can take action to prioritise their customers' safety and help deliver the whole-society approach needed to create lasting change in our fight against violence and abuse."
Forbes
09-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Forbes Daily: American Pope A First For The Vatican
Billionaires are more concerned than ever about their personal safety, and driving them to hire personal security at skyrocketing rates. It's not cheap: A full protection team can cost at least $2 million annually, though it can be part of an executive compensation package and written off as long as there's a demonstrable cause for safety concerns. Plus, there aren't enough credible security outfits to cover CEOs, the more than 3,000 billionaires worldwide and other high-profile individuals who could be at risk, which has created an opportunity for scammers to pose as experts. For the first time in history, the next leader of the Catholic Church is an American: The conclave selected Robert Francis Prevost, who took the papal name of Pope Leo XIV. In his first address, Leo XIV, who was born in Chicago and was made a cardinal by the late Pope Francis, said, 'God loves us, all of us, evil will not prevail.' MORE: Vatican experts have considered Leo XIV more of a centrist than his liberal-leaning predecessor, but also mirrors Pope Francis' championing of the poor. As sexual abuse scandals roil the Catholic Church, Leo XIV has been accused in multiple cases of mishandling allegations made against priests. The U.S. announced its first new trade deal since President Donald Trump's 'Liberation Day' tariffs were unveiled last month, slashing auto tariffs on imports from the U.K. by more than half and eliminating steel and aluminum levies on the country. The news sent stock indexes to their highest levels in weeks, before ending the day with more modest gains. Companies like Pfizer, Goldman Sachs and Coca-Cola have successfully rejected anti-diversity, equity and inclusion shareholder resolutions, but that doesn't mean they aren't responding to the pressure against DEI. When deciding what policies to continue, employers face a tricky balancing act between the White House's crusade against DEI, the anti-discrimination protections already in case law, and demands from shareholders, customers and employees. Bill Gates accelerated the timeline for the closing of the Gates Foundation, pledging to give away 99% of his wealth—which Forbes estimates at nearly $113 billion—by the time it sunsets at the end of 2045. The organization announced a commitment to spend $200 billion over the next two decades, and in that time, Gates said he hoped to stop newborn babies, children and mothers from dying of preventable causes, reduce poverty, and end diseases like polio, malaria and measles. Shares of online pharmacy Hims & Hers, which sells wellness products like hair loss and erectile dysfunction pills, have been on a tear lately, and the surge has made company cofounder Andrew Dudum a billionaire. The recent rally was driven by strong quarterly earnings and a deal with Novo Nordisk to sell its popular weight loss drug Wegovy through Hims & Hers' online pharmacy, making it one of just three telehealth providers able to sell the popular drug. With the start of hurricane season less than a month away, the head of FEMA was fired after the Trump appointee opposed the administration's efforts to eliminate the emergency response agency, which has provided billions of dollars in aid to states damaged by natural disasters. President Donald Trump has called for states to 'take care of their own problems' and said he would abolish or overhaul the agency. Amid a string of high-profile aviation safety incidents, the Trump Administration said it plans to overhaul the nation's aging air traffic control system—but such a move requires the approval of tens of billions of dollars from Congress. The government has tried and failed to modernize the system for decades, and last September, the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office found that 51 of the FAA's 138 air traffic control systems are unsustainable. To find the top 25 cities for retirees, Forbes compared more than 950 locales in America on everything from housing costs and taxes to healthcare. Forbes' Best Places To Retire In 2025 list highlights locales offering a high quality of life in the U.S. at a comparatively affordable price. By design, 22 of the 25 places on our new list have median home prices at or below the national median, and four—Iowa City, Iowa; Lincoln, Nebraska; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and San Antonio, Texas—are under $300,000. Only three honorees have a median home price above the national one, with the most expensive being Raleigh, North Carolina, at $440,000, 9% above the national median. Overall, our list features choices in 19 states and all four domestic time zones, with a roughly even split between colder and warmer climates. Chilly Fargo, North Dakota, is the only city that has appeared for the 15 years we've compiled this list. Pittsburgh, which also has frosty winters, is another of our perennial favorites—on the list for 13 of 15 years and the eighth year in a row, despite its above-average crime rate. Besides basic costs, our selection process weighs such metrics as state taxes, prospects for the local economy, air quality, serious crime and the availability of primary care doctors, as well as whether a place encourages an active lifestyle by making biking or walking convenient. Since 2020, we have screened for natural hazard and climate change risk, ruling out places with the very highest danger, as measured by the FEMA National Risk Index. WHY IT MATTERS 'Each year, hundreds of thousands of Baby Boomers and GenXers move in retirement, or in contemplation of retirement—and many, many more think about it,' says Forbes assistant managing editor Janet Novack. 'Those who go to a new area are looking for a better lifestyle, or lower costs, or to be closer to their kids and grandkids—or for all of those. William P. Barrett, the veteran journalist who has compiled the Forbes list for 15 years, gives readers a head start by using data to identify the most appealing, affordable places across the country. Years ago, he became the first retirement list maker to factor in the risk of climate change and natural disasters, which can easily wreck an otherwise well-planned retirement.' MORE How To Find Your Ideal Retirement Spot Robert Francis Prevost was a longshot candidate to become the next leader of the Catholic Church, but a handful of bettors earned massive payouts on prediction markets. Platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket are becoming increasingly popular for wagering on news events: 1.6%: Prevost's market-implied odds of becoming the next pope as of noon Thursday on Kalshi, compared to 1.8% on Polymarket Around $10,000: The payout of a $170 bet on Prevost at 12 p.m. would have netted $40.4 million: The total betting volume across Kalshi's and Polymarket's papal betting markets The Federal Reserve has held interest rates steady despite demands from President Donald Trump—but what does that mean for you? When the central bank slashes rates, the interest rates on your checking, savings and money market accounts will also fall—but on the bright side, so will personal loan and credit card rates. The stock market generally benefits from lower rates because borrowing is cheaper, potentially allowing companies to grow faster. As DOGE continues to slash the federal workforce, one agency is expected to soon be hit with roughly 1,500 additional layoffs and deep budget cuts. Which agency is it? A. National Park Service B. NASA C. National Science Foundation D. Small Business Administration Check your answer.
