If you’re meeting (or are responsible for someone else who is meeting) someone for the first time or playing somewhere new, then safe calls are a tool for helping to keep meetings safe.
Since forever, we’ve done it by arranging a voice-to-voice call and a secret duress/distress code with a friend, for a certain time during the encounter. But it’s 2015, and of course there’s an app for that.
KITESTRING
There’s no app to download with Kitestring. In fact, you don’t even need a smartphone. Customise a message and a check-in period on the site, then Kitestring will send you an SMS at the agreed time. Reply to check in, but if you don’t check in then Kitestring will send your alert message to your emergency contact. It’s free for 8 meetings a month and 1 emergency contract, or USD3 per month for unlimited.
GLYMPSE
Glympse is a free app for iOS, Android and Windows that allows you to share your location for a fixed period of time. The other person doesn’t need to have the app and it’s simple to operate: Send a Glympse request to anyone you wish using email, text, Hangouts, iMessage, Facebook, Twitter and more. Once connected, you are able to see each other’s location for the limited time period that you choose.
CIRCLE OF 6
Circle of 6 is taking off in countries where dialling 911 is unlikely to help much, but if you’re a social person and you’re happy to let 6 people in on your BDSM meetings, it’s an interesting option. Everything is done with icons on the screen, so it’s discreet and you can alert your friends that you’re in trouble as quickly as possible.
FURTHER READING
• BDSM Wiki – Safe Call
• Techlicious – 5 Free Personal Safety Apps That Can Call For Help
• Submissive Guide – 5 Things to Give Your Safe Call Person
• The Guy’s Guide to Feminism – Safecalls