How to Combat Domestic Violence using AI
Women and children include the delicate group of people in a society. And during a crisis vulnerable groups of society suffer the most. According to UN report “Measuring the shadow pandemic, violence against women during covid-19″(released in November 2021) , 2 in 3 women or a woman they know experienced violence. The most common form is verbal abuse (50%) followed by sexual harassment (40%), physical abuse (36%), denial of basic needs (35%) and even denial of means of communication (30%). 7 in 10 women surveyed believe that violence against women is common in their community. Studies show that domestic violence hotlines doubled during the pandemic. Many community services and companies employed chatbots and helplines for combating the growing problem of domestic violence. Now with evolution of technology, there are several AI tools for domestic violence victims that promise to make a difference in people’s lives.
- AI Powered Helplines
For domestic victims, reaching out for help takes a lot of courage. Many tend to suffer in silence without seeking assistance. But what if there is a tool which can recognize the distress in your voices or texts. There are AI tools in the market which can detect stress signals and offer immediate coping strategies or transfer your case to actual therapists or emergency services. And they can also provide discreet assistance in crises. It uses AI technology to provide users with safety alerts and location tracking. The app’s AI can study user behavior and recognize suspicious trends, such as changes in location or activity, to send out alerts if something appears suspicious.
- Right Information at the Right time
It is very much important for domestic violence victims to get answers to all the questions they have. And the information which are provided should be reliable and easily accessible. For this, many organizations are making use of Microsoft Virtual Agents to deploy chatbots. This is to supplement the traditional telephone hotlines and word – of – mouth with reliable digital channels that are available 24*7. AI powered applications are easy to use and at the same time provide anonymity which is equally important for victims of domestic abuse.
- Evidence gathering
Most of the people fear about the consequences of leaving an abusive household. What if they don’t receive the help they need? What if the abuser denies all the allegations? How to validate all accusations? But no need to worry when AI is here. Now with AI based chatbots, survivors can seek help. Even if they are in the same room with the abuser, they can easily connect with the chatbot. Survivors or victims can make use of the tool to talk about their issues, recognise the signs of abuse, things they need to understand and plan before leaving an abusive relationship. They can also create a digital safe where they can gather all necessary evidence without anyone knowing. This will help them seek legal help after leaving an abusive relationship.
- Spotting the warning signs
With our advanced technologies we can analyze data from various sources like past reports, social media activities and even changes in behavior pattern to identify potential risks. This helps us to identify issues and combat them before they escalate. Law enforcement agencies also make use of AI tools to improve their response to domestic violence. There are several crime detecting tools that is used by police to track feed images and audio to hunt down the criminals.
While the AI tools are very efficient and essential, it’s important to handle them with sensitivity and awareness. Most of them have strict privacy guidelines and strong data protection measures. But it’s better to take due diligence before choosing the right tool for you. Now this is not just a technological advancement, this is a small step towards creating a safer space for people irrespective of age and gender.
Let us work towards protecting our loved ones with right technology.