Part II: Know your audience

If you’re building an app for survivors of abuse, your mantra should always be: first, do no harm. Survivors of abuse may be using your app in the middle of a crisis or while looking for help to escape a violent situation. Although you can’t predict how someone will use your app, you can minimise harm by building an app that considers the unique needs of your audience. Below are some tips for doing just that.

Don’t create a false sense of security

Because survivors may rely on your app to help them find safety or get time-critical information, the app needs to work as intended. Unfortunately, many apps created for survivors are so complex that they often don’t work the way the designers intended. The project team tested dozens of apps whose sole promise was to locate a victim in danger, but many didn’t always show the exact location. Sometimes, it was off by a few houses, and sometimes, it was off by a few kms. If your app promises personal security and safety as a key function, you must ensure it works accurately every time and in every environment (rural/suburban/urban).

Don’t overpromise

Carefully market your app, and be sure not to imply that it does more than it’s actually able to. We’ve seen many safety apps created for victims of abuse that are marketed with blatantly false claims and that (unethically) try to appeal to the victim’s need for safety. Some of these marketing ploys include: “#1 Prevention of Sexual Assault!”, “You’ll never be in danger again,” and “It’s like having a police officer in your pocket.” Even though the developers may have had good intentions, these claims are unrealistic and can be dangerous if someone accepts them as true.

Such claims may keep the user from thinking about other safety measures. If users believe your app is the only safety strategy they need, you’ve likely created a false sense of security that can result in unintended danger to the victim. Moreover, if someone has the app and does get assaulted, it can contribute to victim blaming – accusations that the victim had a safety app that could have prevented the assault if only they’d used it properly. Simply put: don’t tell victims the app will keep them safe. No app can stop an abusive partner from trying to harm their victim – the only thing that can stop that from happening is the abusers themselves.

Be accurate about your information

Because the app is created for someone who might be in danger, ensure that the information in your app is accurate. Resources should link to accurate phone numbers or websites and be appropriate for your intended audience. For example, if your app is for victims of domestic violence, list local domestic violence programs in the resources section rather than listing general health services. Remember that even if your app is meant for a specific location (such as your city) or population (such as teenagers), anyone can download the app, so resources should apply to all users (you can include the National Hotline in addition to the local hotline numbers), or clearly state who can use the resources. Double and triple-check the information you’ve listed (websites, phone numbers, and other contact information) to ensure it’s correct, and make this a part of your ongoing maintenance plan.

Be accurate in your language

If you don’t have expertise in the dynamics of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, work with experts in those respective fields to develop your content and to ensure your language is correct and appropriate. Domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking are all very nuanced issues. Users of your app could be traumatised when they’re using your app, and your content needs to be sensitive. Victims may not yet have the words or definitions to explain what they’re experiencing, and how you describe it may greatly impact their understanding—work with domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking victim experts to help you write appropriate content.

This series was written by our sister project, the U.S. Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence. This series is based on lessons learned when developing the NNEDV Tech Safety App, and in reviewing dozens of apps created for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.