In memory of Aiia: Entrepreneur creates safety app that sends images, audio and GPS location to five contacts to protect women after the Israeli student's shocking death
- Melbourne-based safety app Leelou aims to protect people from being attacked
- The app has introduced new feature 'AIA Mode' following death of Israeli student
- Aiia Maasarwe, 21, was allegedly raped and murdered in Bundoora last month
An entrepreneur concerned with women's safety has created an app to protect women from attackers following the tragic death of Israeli student Aiia Maasarwe.
Melbourne-based app Leelou will have a new feature dubbed 'AIA Mode', in Aiia's honour. The feature is supported by Aiia's family.
The ethos of the free-to-download Melbourne app is that personal safety is a right and not a privilege.
An entrepreneur concerned with the safety of people has created an innovative feature to its safety app following the tragic death of Israeli student Aiia Maasarwe (pictured: Leelou app)
Melbourne-based app Leelou will have a new feature dubbed 'AIA Mode', in Aiia's honour and supported by Aiia's family (pictured: Aiia Maasarwe)
The ethos of the free-to-download Melbourne app is that personal safety is a right and not a privilege (pictured: Aiia Maasarwe)
Users of the app are able to quickly alert five emergency contacts if they are in any danger.
The app enables the person in danger to touch a special SOS button which instantly records image, sends and streams audio with GPS location and phone battery information in under 15 seconds.
The aim is to provide the five selected guardians with the necessary information to come to their friend or loved one's aide in a crisis.
The updated 'AIA Mode' is a new vigilance feature which will allow the user to press and hold down a button as they walk home alone.
Releasing it when feeling threatened or dropping the phone will send an instant SOS to scrutinised guardians.
Users of the app are able to quickly alert five emergency contacts if they are in any danger (pictured: Aiia Maasarwe)
Leelou founder Jerry Farsoun told AAP he was 'incredibly saddened' to hear the news of Aiia's death
The idea is to prevent a repeat occurrence of Aiia's attack.
The student's sister was on FaceTime with Aiia when the murder took place, but had no means of finding out where she was.
Leelou founder Jerry Farsoun said he was 'incredibly saddened' to hear the news of Aiia's death.
'I immediately knew that by further development of our safety app Leelou, with the 'AIA Mode', lives could be saved for those in similar situations,' he explained.
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'I am so passionate about saving lives, and the AIA Mode could make the difference in less than 15 seconds.'
Aiia, 21, was allegedly raped and murdered in Melbourne's northern suburb of Bundoora last month after leaving a comedy club.
The 21-year-old had only been living in the city for six months following a move from Shanghai.
Codey Herrman, 20, (pictured) was arrested and charged in relation to the alleged murder
He has been remanded in custody and will reappear in court in June (pictured: Codey Herrman)
Her body was found by a passer-by the next morning in the suburb of Bundoora, a short distance from where she studied language at La Trobe University.
Codey Herrman, 20, was arrested and charged in relation to the alleged murder. He has been remanded in custody and will reappear in court in June.
Ms Maasarwe's sudden and tragic death shocked her home town of Baqa al-Gharbiya, northern Israel, a densely populated area of about 30,000 people, who hung black banners across the town in the days following her death reading: 'God have mercy on Aiia.'
'I immediately knew that by further development of our safety app Leelou, with the 'AIA Mode', lives could be saved for those in similar situations,' Leelou founder Jerry Farsoun said
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