A mobile app designed to help individuals escape from domestic violence
This presentation includes discussion surrounding domestic violence and psychological abuse.
Project is password protected to minimize abuser awareness of anti-abuse measures.
User Research
User Experience Design
User Interface Design
Usability Testing
Visual Design
Illustration
Director of Non-Profit
Developers
Research Participants
Baltimore Police Chief
A volunteer project with a domestic violence non-profit, desinging an Android mobile app to empower individuals experiencing domestic violence to safely seek help in emergencies. My involvement, research and deliverables were self-guided to fit the needs of the project.
Domestic violence (DV) can be described as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship (e.g. marriage, dating, family, friends and co- habitation).
Throughout the Covid-19 global pandemic lockdown period, individuals experiencing domestic violence were not able to go to work, school, or public spaces as an escape from abusers they lived with. Household income may have decreased or disappeared due to Stay At Home orders and pandemic-related layoffs, leading to further fear and unrest in their household, and potential loss of security and safety as their bills go unpaid.
Individuals experiencing domestic violence need help when in immediate or ongoing danger, from their emergency contacts, local doctors if they are injured, and local emergency shelters, all in secret from their abuser to minimize further conflict. However, individuals who experience abuse in their homes may have trouble compiling the resources necessary to escape as they may not have privacy from their abusers.* Individuals who can’t safely save resources like emergency contacts, websites, and critical information, must rely on their memory in high-stress situations which may impair memory retrieval. If the survivor forgets to delete messages sent to emergency contacts, or clear their search history of DV resources, they risk the abuser finding evidence of their plans, causing further harm. Worrying about covering tracks wastes precious time and attention in a dangerous situation that could be spent on awareness of surroundings, gathering belongings, and safely escaping the situation.
*Common characteristics of abusive relationships include controlling behavior and violation of privacy. This can lead to digital surveillance, when an abuser goes through a survivor's notifications, call history, messages, social media, browsing history, and other apps on their devices, looking for potential threats, or something to pick a fight over. Digital surveillance poses a challenge for individuals experiencing domestic violence to safely engage with resources that could help get them out of danger.
Abusers looking for suspicious apps, contacts, and messages on the survivor’s phone will find a false front for the app. Privacy is further ensured through passcode protection, providing a safe place for survivors to prepare for an escape.
“I give it a 10 on it being secretly disclosed as a [redacted] and nobody knowing what the app might be on your phone even if they got your phone from you or and looked through your phone.” - Anonymous Survivor
Individuals who experience domestic violence have a safety practice of using inconspicuous secret codes to communicate to trusted allies that they are in trouble. "If you ever get a text from me reminding you to buy eggs, it means I'm in danger and I need you to come pick me up at the playground across from my house immediately." The cryptic nature of these messages protects the message from being intercepted, understood and acted on by anyone other than the survivor and the ally. Save codes and emergency contacts within the app, and send all at once in an emergency.
Prefilled contact book with local resources for your specific needs.
Home
After entering through the false-front of the app, the user has immediate access to streamlined emergency help and preparedness features, and a quick close button to force-close the app immediately.
Send SOS to Emergency Contacts
Individuals who experience domestic violence have a safety practice of using inconspicuous secret codes to communicate to trusted allies that they are in trouble. "If you ever get a text from me reminding you to buy eggs, it means I'm in danger and I need you to come pick me up at the playground across from my house immediately." The cryptic nature of these messages protects the message from being intercepted, understood and acted on by anyone other than the survivor and the ally. Save codes and emergency contacts within the app, and send all at once in an emergency.
Domestic Violence Organization Partners in Contacts
Prefilled contact book with local resources to give the user access to a support network without having to search for it.
9-1-1 Text-to-Speech
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9-1-1 Text-to-Speech
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9-1-1 Text-to-Speech
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Create plans for every stage of an escape with the help of expert recommendations. Use as a checklist during an emergency escape when it may be difficult to think clearly.
“A lot of times people don't think about things they react off of emotions. The Plan allows them to think logically about what they need. So that way they're not just reacting they have something more concrete to go by to help them out with this process.” - Anonymous Survivor
Keep track of abuse to counteract gaslighting and misremembering, to document the timeline of events. alleviate the need to relive the memory to recount the story to others.
Collection Organizer
Social Rating and Recommendations
Wine Reminders
History
