For women in abusive relationships, the digital world can be a place which is as highly controlled and monitored by perpetrators, as the physical world. Many women and girls in abusive relationships are unable to use technology safely or proactively to access support. And many services struggle to harness the opportunities offered by technology to increase their reach, and make information and assistance accessible outside work hours and to women who may only have short pockets of time to ask for help. 
The Tech vs Abuse grant initiative is based on a six month research project commissioned by Comic Relief in order to understand the potential opportunities, gaps and risks for technology in the context of domestic violence and abuse (for more information visit: www.techvsabuse.info). This was led by Chayn, SafeLives and Snook, who undertook research with over 200 survivors and 350 sector practitioners. They found compelling insights into the potential for technology and online communications to enable people affected by domestic abuse to access the information they need to make their own choices and rebuild their independence safely and sustainably.
On the basis of this research, Comic Relief, together with the research team and in consultation with a number of organisations in the domestic abuse sector, have created five key design challenges. These have been prioritised on the basis that if addressed effectively and safely, these solutions would make the most immediate difference to people affected by domestic abuse. The design challenges are intended to inspire innovation in the design and delivery of services for people affected by domestic abuse, both online and offline.
The five key design challenges are:
Fifteen minute window
Provide or curate key information online for women experiencing domestic abuse in a way which is easy to find, simple to navigate and quick to interact with.
Effective real-time support services
Enable women to find and access services for support (including referrals) when required, day or night, seamlessly and with minimal logistical and emotional burden.
Safer digital-footprint
Provide people affected by domestic abuse and frontline professionals the confidence and knowledge they need to use technology and stay online safely, with full control over their online data, privacy settings and social media accounts.
Accessible legal and financial information
Create engaging, accessible and digestible information on the legal process or the financial situation women find themselves in, connecting to support and advice where relevant.
Realising it’s abuse
Use the creative opportunities of the web to raise awareness of what an abusive relationship looks like, provoking women and girls experiencing abuse to recognise this and get support.
The research also generated a number of supplementary resources to help address these challenges.
Funding available
In order to support the sector to innovate and start addressing these challenges, Comic Relief are investing funding through the Tampon Tax Fund, a partnership between HM Government and Comic Relief. Comic Relief anticipate to make up to seven grants from a total fund of up to £300,000:
• Grants can be for amounts between £20,000 and £50,000 over a period of one year from August 2017 to August 2018.
• Applicants should focus on one of the design challenges and refer to the research and rationale relating to this.
• Comic Relief will fund digital solutions at any stage of development (from idea stage to those with existing solutions) and are looking for those projects and partnerships with potential to address the design challenges. Comic Relief are happy to support projects without a digital partner in place at the point of applying.
• Comic Relief welcome proposals from the women and girls sector and beyond, including unusual collaborations, such as those working together to develop new solutions alongside design or digital agencies.
• The grant will include additional support from social-tech development experts, which will include a start-up workshop over two days at the start of the grant, connections to tech experts, on-going mentoring and two peer learning days in November 2017 and April 2018.
• Applicants should budget for three trips to London to attend these sessions.
• The first three months the grant will also be dedicated research, ideas development, user testing or piloting, before development and delivery work begins in full over the remaining nine months to develop a solution.
For further information and to apply, visit: www.comicrelief.com/grants/initiatives/tech-vs-abuse
Deadline: Monday 13 March 2017, 12:00