Isolation is putting the lives of abuse survivors at risk. Chayn Italia and our global project Chayn.co use tech to provide survivors with tools and information so they can start their journey out of abuse. We devote our tech experience to support survivors with practical tips and train social workers at women's centres so they can improve their tech skills and better help survivors. We will provide digital support to 20 women's centers, reaching at least 50 social workers and 3800 survivors.
In the first week of restrictions in Italy calls to the National Anti-Violence Service halved. Yet mounting evidence showed a surge in domestic abuse during this emergency. There is a stark digital divide in Italy. Social distancing has made us rely ever more on tech, a lifeline to women experiencing abuse. At the same time, women's centre workers are often unaware of how to effectively and safely use digital tools to maintain secure contact with and support survivors. We seek to bridge the gap.
Chayn Italia has the expertise to bridge the digital divide between survivors and women's centers through secure and accessible technology. We will use the funds to tackle domestic abuse head on, using digital tools to reach women, expand our tech infrastructure, deliver essential and tailored support to women's centers on tech safety, on how to set up digital contact services as well as better, user-centered websites. Survivors need to know they aren't alone and that help is out there.
In an increasingly digital world where going offline is not an option, we are raising awareness amongst survivors and the women's sector on useful tech and tech-enabled abuse, with privacy and technology at the heart of our approach. Addressing the lack of resources and know-how in using tech safely to assist survivors, our work caters not only to the specific needs of COVID19, where the digital sphere is crucial, but also provides durable solutions that will support women after the crisis.
