The Navy is now six months into a pilot phase for LiveSafe, a smartphone application that aims to ensure the safety of junior sailors through combating destructive behaviors, according to the Virginian-Pilot.
After recent updates, users can now report social media harassment and bullying anonymously. After investing $150,000 into the development and use of the app, the Navy has received a few tips via the app reporting criminal behavior via the app.
Other updates include a taxi feature that “allows users to call services cleared to drive on base,” bus schedules and ways to announce or sign up for volunteer events.
“What we’re trying to do is connect with sailors in their free time away from the workplace and put resources in their hands that they can make use of,” Capt. Charles Marks, U.S. Fleet Forces Command’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response officer told The Virginian-Pilot.
These resources include information on improper online conduct, counseling services, suicide prevention, off-limits location information and changes to transgender services.
The feature that is most frequently used, according to the Pilot, is SafeWalk, a virtual escort feature that allows users to designate contacts to “follow” them via GPS location. The Navy has found it difficult, however, to convince sailors that the service will not be tracking them.
“Because it’s a Navy-provided thing, there’s suspicion that we’re trying to get something other than trying to help the sailors out,” Marks said.
LiveSafe can be downloaded for free on both Android and Apple devices.
