America's public safety infrastructure is staggering in scale—a nationwide 911 system, hundreds of thousands of law enforcement officers, and billions spent on emergency response each year. Yet, for many women, the first line of defense when feeling unsafe is not a call to the police, but a text to a friend or family member. A study commissioned by LogicMark, Inc. (OTC: LGMK), a provider of personal emergency response systems and developer of the Aster safety app, found that 70% of women text or call family or friends to share their whereabouts when concerned about safety, and 50% share their location through smartphone apps.
This informal network is a workaround born of a reactive public safety system. As the study highlights, women often avoid calling 911 unless a situation becomes life-threatening, fearing they might waste police resources or cause a scene. A text to a friend that results in a false alarm has fewer implications. But while sharing location or texting with friends may provide peace of mind, as a safety precaution, these methods tend to fall short. There's no guarantee a friend or family member will see the message—they may be asleep, away from their phone, or have it on silent. Even if they respond, they may not know how to help or accurately relay the situation to 911. Many messaging apps also fail to provide precise, real-time GPS locations, making it difficult for emergency services to locate the victim quickly.
A more effective approach would blend that informal network with a structured, always-available system designed for moments of uncertainty. Ideally, this would include 24/7 monitoring to ensure alerts are received and assessed in real time, the ability to notify both trusted contacts and trained responders simultaneously, and frictionless activation that minimizes steps—such as not requiring someone to unlock a phone or navigate multiple screens. It could also support passive safety features like timed check-ins, location sharing that activates only when needed, or wearable triggers that provide another layer of access when a phone isn’t in hand.
For women to be safe, there is a need for a structured system that eliminates variables that can cause informal systems to break down. A structured system removes those variables entirely: help is available around the clock, with no missed texts, no sleeping contacts, and no dead batteries. It also ensures that alerts are escalated appropriately, connecting both personal networks and emergency services without relying on the user to coordinate in the moment. Critically, it removes the cognitive burden of having to think clearly in a moment of panic and provides an accurate, real-time GPS location so responders can get there quickly. A good solution won’t replace the informal network; it strengthens it. Loved ones are kept informed while professional dispatchers handle the actual emergency response.
That’s the mission behind Aster, LogicMark’s mobile safety app that turns a smartphone into a personal protection device. It combines structured emergency support with social safety features. In an urgent situation, users can quickly contact emergency services while simultaneously alerting friends or family with their real-time location. The app includes multiple ways to access help, including a home-screen slider for discreet activation, as well as features like Follow Me and Hold Until Safe that let users stay connected and monitored during uncertain moments. Together, these tools provide both immediate emergency response and proactive safety support, while keeping location-sharing permissions limited to trusted contacts in an emergency. Aster also includes a compact Bluetooth button, about the size of an AirTag, that can be clipped to a keychain, bag, or clothing for everyday access. Paired with the Aster app, it enables quick access to emergency support when a phone isn’t immediately within reach.
Despite the benefits, only 1 in 5 women use a safety app with planned check-in features, according to research commissioned by LogicMark. With apps like Aster, women no longer have to choose between worrying about overreacting and feeling safe. They get the best of both worlds: a social safety system layered on top of structured technology and 24/7 monitoring. To learn more about LogicMark and Aster, click here.
