Sage Foundation has partnered with AI for Good and Soul City Institute for Social Justice to launch an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbot to support victims of domestic violence.
The chatbot, known as rAInbow, aims to address issues of gender-based violence (GBV), partner control and unhealthy relationships, by providing information and support to victims of domestic violence and their friends and family.
rAInbow uses natural language processing and has over 1 000 conversations. It answers a variety of questions, such as: "What are the signs of abuse? I feel threatened in my relationship. Can you help? S/he hit me, what can I do?"
The 24-hour service can be accessed via the Facebook Messenger app and on the Hi rAInbow Web site.
The chatbot provides scenario-based stories to users, helping them identify patterns in their own relationships or those of their friends and family members, according to Sage Foundation.
Kriti Sharma, AI lead at Sage and founder of AI for Good, says rAInbow provides users with insights that can lead to social and governance reform, significantly contributing to the improved safety of women in society.
"rAInbow provides useful information and guidance, informs victims about their rights and encourages them to seek support from their friends and family. More people are realising the potential of exponential technologies and innovation, to solve social challenges. rAInbow is a new approach to an old problem and our hope is that it will make it easy for people to get help," notes Sharma.
The smart companion was developed following research on focus groups, conducted by non-governmental organisation, Soul City Institute for Social Justice, in which it interviewed victims of domestic violence to better understand how they seek help.
Break the silence
GBV is a widespread problem in SA, impacting on almost every aspect of the victim's life.
According to Soul City, SA has the highest reported rate of femicide in the world, yet domestic violence is a hidden issue, due in part to the stigma and shame associated with it. Typically, women will suffer up to 30 incidents of abuse before they seek help.
According to non-governmental organisation, Safer Spaces, between 25% and 40% of South African women admitted to having experienced sexual and/or physical intimate partner violence in their lifetime.
"Abuse is not only physical. It can be emotional, financial and intellectual. At Soul City, we've tried to bring this issue out of the shadows, to encourage more women to find help," says Lebogang Ramafoko, CEO of Soul City.
"While there's no one-size-fits-all solution, rAInbow provides a safe, non-judgemental space for women who have been shamed into silence to talk about abuse."
"AI is important to Sage, not only to enhance our products and customer experience, but also to bring about real change in the world," says Debbie Wall, VP at Sage Foundation.
"We're proud to be a passionate supporter of this project and we're excited to see the impact it will have on many people's lives."
According to Zion Market Research, the global chatbot market was valued at around $370 million in 2017 and is expected to reach approximately $2 166 million in 2024, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 29% between 2018 and 2024.
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