[May 19, 2013] Former kidnapping victim touts cellphone security app Tweet May 19, 2013 (The Akron Beacon Journal - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Jonna Williams, who survived a 1994 kidnapping and sexual assault in Iowa when she was 13, now works as a victims' advocate and is writing a book about her experiences. In a recent interview, she strongly touted a cellphone app, called LifeLine Response, for protection when it's dark, or when she's alone or walking to her car in an unfamiliar place. "It's the most sophisticated technology that I have found to keep people safe," Williams said. The app is designed to notify authorities and family members instantly in the event of an assault or abduction. It also has a high-decibel alarm to alert anyone nearby and a voice warning to an attacker that police have been notified. It works by thumb activation on the cellphone screen or a timer. "If somebody grabs me, pushes me, or if anything else happens and I drop the phone, it gives me 20 seconds to pick up the phone and disarm it," Williams said. If the app is not disarmed in that time, local police are notified and the user's personalized lifelines are dispatched in text message or email. It also gives a GPS location of the user within 300 feet. "You shouldn't have to carry a gun to feel safe," Williams said. The app, for Apple or Android phones, is available at the Apple iTunes store, Google Play and at www.llresponse.com, where more information can be found. Monthly and annual subscriptions are available. ___ (c)2013 the Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio) Visit the Akron Beacon Journal (Akron, Ohio) at www.ohio.com Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]