Emergency phone alert a 'concern' for domestic abuse victims in Rutland

Charities say the alert can be turned off before it's tested on Sunday

Author: Ellis MaddisonPublished 22nd Apr 2023
Last updated 22nd Apr 2023

The Government's new emergency alert will be tested on our devices on Sunday, but there's concern for domestic abuse victims with secondary phones.

The alert, which will ping our phones at 3pm tomorrow (Sunday 22nd), will be used in future to let us know about flooding, wildfires or other local incidents.

But domestic abuse charities in the East Midlands are concerned hundreds of survivors will be put at risk.

Naomi O'Halloran, from the Leicestershire and Rutland support service Freeva, has this advice on how to switch it off ahead of time:

'People have these secondary phones that they keep away from their abusers, so they've got the freedom to contact people without being watched or monitored.'

'There are ways that they can turn this alert off so they can stop the alert happening. Most domestic abuse charities have got the ways it can be turned off on their website, we've got it pinned to the top of our Facebook page.'

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