"We met at Harvard Business School and realized, like too many women, we had both experienced sexual assault. But our assaults were not the only encounters we wish we could have avoided. Whether it was feeling trapped in an uncomfortable situation, being pressured to do something we did not want to, or being intimidated; we knew these problems were widespread and we wanted to do something about them. Before Flare, men designed most safety products decades ago without understanding how dangerous situations escalate. Instead of empowering women to safely and discreetly take control, they gave us whistles, alarms, and pepper spray, which can end up doing more harm than good. Every 73 seconds, someone is sexually assaulted in America. 44% of women experience sexual violence in their lifetimes. Flare is personal for us because we know, far too well, the impact sexual assault and other traumatic experiences have on women’s lives."