Former Metropolitan Police Commissioner and Patron of the north-east-based charity Right to Resist, Lord John Stevens, is overseeing the launch of a revolutionary personal safety app at Newcastle University on Monday, September 15, 2025.
The app, named VigilAuntie, aims to address the ongoing issue of women and girls being vulnerable to assault. “The need to protect women and girls from assault is paramount, yet they are still vulnerable,” says Stevens. “VigilAuntie is an innovative new app which tackles that problem early on, by recording and securing video evidence at a single touch so it can be used as a deterrent before an incident escalates into a crisis.”
A team of volunteers led by geography student Em Beattie will be launching the app at Newcastle University. According to Beattie, VigilAuntie is a simple and effective way for students to look out for each other. “With just one click, video is streamed and stored in the cloud, along with a location map. SMS messages with links to the video are sent to close friends, allowing them to see what’s happening live and respond. The video cannot be deleted, even if the phone is taken from you. Best of all, it’s completely free, funded by donations to the charity.”
Newcastle has a history of being at the forefront of adopting video technology. In the late 1980s, when Lord Stevens was Chief Constable of Northumbria Police, the city was the first to widely install CCTV. “The effect was dramatic,” says Stevens. “We had a 100% conviction rate on 2,750 disorder prosecutions, which was previously unimaginable. VigilAuntie brings similar benefits to safeguard people, acting as a personal CCTV.”
Following a successful launch at Newcastle University, Right to Resist plans to introduce VigilAuntie to other campuses in the UK, followed by a nationwide promotion. The app is now available in the UK App Store and Google Play for those who want to be among the first to have it.
Derick is an experienced reporter having held multiple senior roles for large publishers across Europe. Specialist subjects include small business and financial emerging markets.