● 240 million1 911 calls are made every year in the U.S.; over 70%2 are from mobile phones, whichfail to provide exact location to emergency dispatchers

● 1 in 33 young people experience some form of dating or sexual violence

● Haven represents a transformation in access to emergency services – from a phone call solely

dependent on voice to a robust data connection for voice, text, medical/demographic data

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Los Angeles (July 7, 2016) .

Break the Cycle today announced a partnership with RapidSOS, an advanced emergency technology startup revolutionizing personal safety and family connectivity. The partnership will offer two years of free access to the RapidSOS Haven app, providing individuals with enhanced access to emergency services. Haven sends important data to 911 in a discreet way that does not necessitate a spoken conversation with first responders.

With one tap on Haven, the app connects the user with the nearest dispatch center anywhere in the contiguous U.S., while providing a voice connection and a data pipeline to 911, to transmit:

  • Text messages (Haven speaks the text message if the dispatch center does not have the capability to receive texts. Currently one-way texting available (user to 911), two-waycoming)
  • GPS location
  • Type of emergency
  • Relevant medical and demographic data

Haven’s “Can’t Speak” function allows users to notify 911 when they are in a situation where it is dangerous or difficult to speak. When a user taps “Can’t Speak,” their location and relevant information is automatically transmitted to the dispatcher, without the need for an audible conversation. Additionally, a user can optionally add emergency contacts to be informed when an alert is triggered.

Working together, RapidSOS and Break the Cycle will support young people who are victims of abuse, improve personal security, and empower young people facing emergency situations.

“One of our primary goals at RapidSOS is to connect members of the community to the help they need,” said RapidSOS cofounder and CEO Michael Martin. “This partnership with Break the Cycle allows us to reach young people facing dating violence who can benefit from discreet access to emergency communication.”

“It is vital that young people know they can reach help as quickly as possible when they are at risk of dating violence,” said Amy Sánchez, CEO of Break the Cycle. “This app seamlessly fits the mobile lifestyles of young people today, making it a practical tool to address a pervasive problem.”

The Haven app also includes access to RapidSOS’ Family Connect feature. For the first time, people can call 911 on behalf of a loved one, transmitting their loved one’s location and relevant data directly to the dispatch center closest to them. Additionally, Family Connect allows users to share their location with loved ones, see family members’ realtime locations without the distraction of a phone call or text, and easily and discreetly ask family and friends for help. A user can choose who can see their location and when it is shared, ensuring privacy and control.

RapidSOS is offering Haven free to those associated with Break the Cycle for a 2 year period, if they sign up for the app here: https://www.rapidsos.com/referrals/breakthecycle/. The Haven app is available for iPhone and Android devices and works anywhere across the contiguous U.S. and Hawaii , with one touch emergency calling in over 250 countries and jurisdictional territories. For more information about RapidSOS and the Haven app, visit www.rapidsos.com.

About RapidSOS

RapidSOS was formed in 2012 by a team of M.I.T., Harvard, and Stanford grad students who had personal experiences with the challenges of the existing emergency communication infrastructure. Working closely with the 911 community, tech and telecom companies, and leading investors, RapidSOS is developing technology to predict and preempt emergencies before they occur, dynamically warn people in harm’s way, and ensure that first responders are one touch away globally. Learn more at www.RapidSOS.com

Contact:

Regina Jaslow
rjaslow@rapidsos.com

(347) 8790024

About Break the Cycle

Break the Cycle is the leading national nonprofit organization providing comprehensive dating abuse programs exclusively to young people ages 12 to 24. From the classroom to the courtroom to the floor of Congress, Break the Cycle works every day to give young people, and those who care about them, the tools they need to live safer, healthier lives. Break the Cycle inspires and supports young people to build healthy relationships and create a culture without abuse. Everyone has a right to a safe and healthy relationship, regardless of gender, ethnicity or sexual identity. Break the Cycle works to make that right a reality.

Contact:

Jennifer Kuhn

Break the Cycle Board Chair
kuhnjennifer2@yahoo.com

7739318677

1 National Emergency Number Association. http://www.nena.org/?page=911Statistics

2 National 911 Program. Review of Nationwide 911 Data Collection.

3 Break the Cycle. Dating Abuse Statistics, March 2016.