Women’s Center encourages students to use myPlan app

Story by Claire Smith, Contributing writer

Photo from the myPlan App

Voicing concerns about a relationship, whether it is platonic or romantic, can be difficult. Murray State wants to encourage students to be aware of the signs of an abusive relationship.

The myPlan App is an app that you can download onto your phone or computer for free. The website describes the app as a tool to help with safety decisions.

This app helps users decide if a relationship is healthy. It also helps provide users with a safety plan if they’re in an unhealthy relationship.

Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing created the app after several years of research.

Abigail Cox, Women’s Center Coordinator, discovered the app during a conversation about safety planning.

“I think one of the features that makes the app so useful for college students is that it can be used either as a tool for personal assessment or as a resource for assessing the situation of a friend,” Cox said. “Often times in unhealthy relationships, friends, family members and peers are the first to notice the warning signs and become concerned.”

The app eliminates in-person contact for users who aren’t ready to speak to someone in person.

“While the Women’s Center offers in-person, one-on-one support, not everyone is ready to talk to a person face to face,” Cox said.

She said having apps like this one can provide someone with information that could encourage them to seek help from campus resources.

Desiree Hall, sophomore from Bardstown, Kentucky, said apps like this one could be beneficial because not everyone recognizes that they or someone they know is in an unhealthy relationship.

“Navigating situations surrounding abusive relationships can be very delicate, so any tips to guide someone through that would be very helpful,” said Hall.

She said apps like this one are helpful because it could inform college students on what is and isn’t healthy in a relationship.

The app takes you through six sections with the final sections suggesting a plan of action. The app also requires that you use a password so that only you have access to the information you have provided.

It is one the first to offer an interactive safety guide. There are several other resources that eliminate in-person contact.

Other resources include “Love is Respect,” “The Hotline” and “The RAINN.” Each of these resources have a call-in service and an online chat. “Love is Respect” also features a texting service. All of these resources are free and available 24/7.

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