The Government emergency alert test is just three days away, but several domestic abuse charities have warned that it could put victims' safety at risk.
A test of the UK-wide siren will pop up on smartphones on April 23, as it's set to alert in cases of extreme weather like severe flooding, fires and other serious threats. But charities are warning that the sudden noise that will sound at 3pm could put vulnerable people in danger.
This is because many of those suffering at the hands of a partner may keep a hidden phone that serves as a communication "lifeline". Charities and government bodies are advising those at risk to turn off the setting this Sunday.
Scottish Women's Aid wrote on Twitter: "For women experiencing domestic abuse, having access to a secret phone can be a lifeline. The upcoming #EmergencyAlerts test could reveal the location of hidden phones to abusers."
The Government is also endorsing this move for vulnerable groups after working with organisations to make sure they are not adversely affected.
"Women and girls who are subject to domestic abuse and have concealed phones can opt-out of the national test either by turning off Emergency Alerts in their phone settings or by switching their phone off," GOV.UK says.
This would apply to anyone who is a victim of domestic abuse, regardless of gender identity.
For those who need to keep any phone silent for safety reasons, domestic abuse charity Refuge has put together a guide on how to turn off the alert for both androids and Apple iPhones.
In the clip, Emma Pickering, Senior Operations Tech Abuse Manager Emma Pickering, Senior Operations Tech Abuse Manager at Refuge, said: "If you're living with an abusive partner, this could put you at risk, because it could let your partner know about a secret or secondary phone.
"Even if your phone is on silent, the emergency alert will make a sound."
However, if you don't fall into this category, it's best to allow the alert test to go through - as it serves to help citizens in serious emergency situations.
Read below to learn exactly how to turn opt out of emergency alerts for Android and iPhone devices.
How to turn off alert for Android phones
- Go to settings - You may need to scroll either down or across to find the app, depending on what kind of phone you have
- Search "emergency" in the settings search bar - emergency alert should appear as one of the options
- Select the first emergency alert option - this will bring you to broadcast settings
- turn off all settings by hitting the blue buttons until they turn grey
How to opt out of emergency alert on iPhone
- Open settings app
- Select notifications
- Scroll to the bottom and select emergency alerts
- You will be given the option to turn off both extreme or severe alerts - these may look different, depending on what model you have
- Click the buttons beside both options to turn them off
If you or someone you know is suffering from domestic abuse, you can call Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage helpline 24 hours a day at 0800 027 1234.
Alternatively, you can visit its website for information and support here or visit Scotland's Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline.
Male victims looking for support can visit Abused Men in Scotland's website here or at Abused Men in Scotland.
Alternatively, you can ring their helpline at 03300 949 395 between 9am-4pm, Monday to Friday.
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