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[This is a sponsored article with Pocket Angel.]
I’ll admit I’m paranoid about my personal safety. Walking in public alone while on my phone or listening to music is a huge no-no, and locking my car doors the moment I get into the car is just second nature at this point.
These are just a few examples of what I practice when alone in public, and I’m sure many women in Malaysia do the same.
How can we not, when we’ve seen sexual harassment cases increasing since 2013? Keep in mind that these are also only reported cases given by the PDRM, so we don’t know the full picture.
“Being a woman, alone and unprepared—the combination of these 3 things is what my mum always calls the recipe for danger,” Serene Ho, Brand Manager for Pocket Angel told Vulcan Post.
As a teenager breaking curfew, she just didn’t get it then. It wasn’t until she moved to KL for an internship that she heard horrifying personal stories of thefts and assaults from female peers.
She began feeling anxious about walking alone to train stations and car parks, especially when holding her handbag. “My mum’s years of cautionary advice finally hit home—I am responsible for my own safety.”
So in her pursuit of ways to safeguard women, Serene came up with the idea of Pocket Angel, a personal safety alarm catered to women and of course, she sent her mum one too.
Compact & Convenient To Use
To describe the Pocket Angel device, it’s oblong and slightly larger than a USB stick.
It boasts a bright strobing light and an alarm that reaches 130dB that are activated with a pull of its tab to alert others around you about the danger you’re in. To deactivate it, just push the tab back in.
“The last thing that an attacker wants is attention. And with Pocket Angel, it does exactly what an attacker would be afraid of: draw attention,” the Pocket Angel team summarised.
Being so compact, it can be hung on your bag, phone, purse or anything else with straps for easy and fast access in a split moment. The team also took into consideration its looks, making it available in 5 different colours that stand out as an accessory on whatever you hang it on.
Its batteries can last 3-5 years (the team hopes you never have to use it frequently, after all), and no recharging is needed.
I like the battery feature, as I don’t trust myself to remember to recharge it every time the juice runs out. When the batteries eventually run out though, the Pocket Angel team has prepared a guide to switch them out.
Pocket Angel was made to be simple and intuitively easy to use so that everyone from kids to the elderly can use them. Furthermore, in the event of an emergency or panic, defending oneself with a complicated tool isn’t ideal.
Aside from buying just one Pocket Angel at RM49, 2 packs are offered so you can provide family and friends with protection too:
- 3 Pocket Angel devices at RM109
- 5 Pocket Angel devices at RM159
For the packs, you can mix and match the colours for no additional pricing, and delivery is free for orders over RM90.
Vulcan Post readers can get a 10% discount (capped at RM30) for their purchases using the code VULCANPOSTXPA that’s valid until the 19th of March 2021.
Women Empowerment: Starting With Being Equipped
So I’ve tried Pocket Angel myself, and let me tell you—it’s loud. On the other hand, the bright strobing light isn’t much of an issue as it’s supposed to face away from the user anyway.
Based on a quick Google search, I was informed that a volume of 130dB is equivalent to firecrackers going off, or a military jet plane taking off. This sound reaches as far as 180m or 600 feet in distance.
Disclaimer: The volume of the Pocket Angel in the video below is not representative of its actual loudness due to video compression. For those with epilepsy, do be warned that there are bright flashing lights in the video.
I had to know then if using Pocket Angel could pose a risk to the user’s own hearing, and the team addressed my concerns.
“That is definitely possible and we do not want anyone to be at risk of affecting their hearing. However, we are also aware that the loudness is key to attracting the attention of the surroundings,” the team said.
“Hearing loss only happens when the ears are directly exposed to the loud sound for a prolonged period (usually around 15 minutes). Having said that, we hope you will not need to use Pocket Angel as often!”
While this may just be a simple device for some, in my eyes, it’s something that gives me confidence to go out alone with more control over my personal safety (although of course this doesn’t mean I’m ignorant of my surroundings).
This empowers me to not completely be dependent on someone else, and I’m not left vulnerable. At the very least, I have something to produce a loud enough sound for attention as some form of defence.
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This device is just the beginning for the team. They see it as a personal security tool to maximise females’ safety and protection, but what’s equally important is to equip females with self-defense knowledge when faced with danger.
In their bid to promote personal safety and the women empowerment that comes with it, the team wants to work with relevant organisations to educate the public.
For now, they’re still in the planning stages of these campaigns, but they shared that they’ll have something on their social media during March for International Women’s Day.
As for the device itself, they teased that they’ll be having new skins launching soon with the hint, “They are going to be colourful!”.
- You can learn more about Pocket Angel here or follow their Instagram for updates here. Use VULCANPOSTXPA for a 10% discount on the devices (capped at RM30, available until the 19th of March 2021).
- If your organisation would like to collaborate with the Pocket Angel team around the themes of female empowerment, you can reach them here.
Featured Image Credit: Vulcan Post
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