When Nahla O’Rourke felt intimidated by a stranger while travelling in Thailand, it left her wondering how she could help other women who find themselves in similar situations. So when she was told to design something she was passionate about for her final-year product design project at Sheffield Hallam University, she knew what she wanted to do. She spent the next six months designing a bracelet that allows wearers to call for help if they are being harassed, by pressing a secret button inside.
“As a woman, you kind of get this spidey sense that you want to get out of there, sooner rather than later,” she says. “But if you use your phone to make a call, you’re aware that that might escalate the situation. It’s a way to get help without alerting attention.”
