Twitter teams up with Safe Ireland to reach out to domestic violence victims

Twitter has partnered with Safe Ireland to encourage people experiencing domestic and sexual violence to reach out for support.
Twitter teams up with Safe Ireland to reach out to domestic violence victims

Twitter has partnered with Safe Ireland to encourage people experiencing domestic and sexual violence to reach out for support.

The social networking service has a new prompt that directs people to support services provided by Safe Ireland.

If words and phrases linked with domestic abuse are searched, the prompt will bring the person to Safe Ireland's website.

The feature is an expansion of Twitter's #ThereisHelp initiative which provides resources to vulnerable people and encourages them to reach out and get support when they need it.

Safe Ireland is the national policy and services hub for 39 domestic violence member services across the country.

“Now that we are all emerging fully from lockdown it is vital that survivors of domestic violence know that there are expert supports available in communities throughout the country,” said the co-chief executive of Safe Ireland, Mary McDermott.

“This partnership with Twitter helps to get the message directly to survivors, and those close to them, that they are not alone and they do not have to live with abuse and control in their home, not in lockdown; not ever.”

Ms McDermott believes the partnership will also encourage more people to talk about domestic violence and she welcomed that.

Twitter is the first social networking service to approach Safe Ireland offering to support victims of domestic violence.

The platform's built-in algorithm will respond to people's searches when keywords are used providing direct contact with Safe Ireland's website that will direct them to their local service.

Twitter's senior public policy manager, Ronan Costello, said domestic violence is a challenging issue requiring collaboration between all of the parties involved - public, private and non-governmental organisations.

"We hope that this partnership will help ensure people can access and receive support when they need it most," said Mr Costello.

Safe Ireland is disappointed that there is no designated junior minister for domestic and sexual violence in the new Government, especially as it was described in the Programme for Government as an epidemic.

She had hoped to see the outpouring of support and recognition from businesses, communities, artists and the previous government for people affected by domestic and sexual violence during the Covid-19 lockdown reflected in the new junior minister line-up.

“These are charitable responses in a time of crisis. We want a sound infrastructure and a coherent government location with cross-departmental reach and resources.”

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