Meet Athena, the tiny smart safety jewellery that aims to help protect women from sexual assault

New Delhi: Any part of the world, if a woman is on her own, chances are she has had experiences where solo commutes to her own house have been scary and potentially threatening situations have arisen with possibilities of even physical harm.

Roar for Good, a company dedicated to preventing physical assaults, has introduced a new product that makes self-security easy and discreet.

It’s first product, Athena- named after the Greek goddess for wisdom and courage, is a wearable device that can be clipped onto a belt or lapel and in threatening situations when pressed, emits loud alarm and texts the wearer’s location to their chosen set of emergency contacts.

Currently listed on Indiegogo, the device was fully funded for its goal of $40,000 in less than 48 hours after its launch, highlighting the grave need of such devices for self security.

Athena co-founder Yasmine Mustafa drew her inspiration for the device from one of her personal experiences during her solo backpacking trip across South America. "As amazing as [the trip] was...literally everywhere I went I would hear of a time where a woman had been attacked," Mustafa told Mashable. When she came back, a nearby neighbor had gone outside to read her meter when she was attacked, brutally beaten and sexually assaulted. "When I read the news story the next day, that’s when the idea for ROAR was born.

The wearable aims to prevent assaults before they happen and unlike other devices like pepper sprays or tasers, Athena can’t be used as a tool against the victim if overpowered.

Unlike wearables that need to be worn in a specific way, Athena can be worn in multiple ways, as a necklace, clipped to jeans or even attached to a purse for easy access.

The device contains a small, low-energy Bluetooth chip that pairs with a smartphone and cellular service to be able to send the emergency text.

One of the key features of Athena is that it comes with a SilentROAR feature for situations where one discreetly needs to convey their SOS message and transmit location without letting the attacker know.

The product is unisex and can also be used by males, children, even the elderly to protect oneself against any physical assault.

The battery-powered device is currently available in three colors — Rose Gold, Antique Silver and Timeless Black.

Athena is expected to be available internationally in early May 2016 and will retail for $99.