iMatter is a mobile app that provides community-supported resources for domestic abuse survivors in order to increase accessibility of the resources and agency of the survivors. Agency and accessibility matters because it motivates survivors to seek help and take action. The app provides a comprehensive list of diverse resources, ranging from hotlines, emergency shelters, legal services, and counseling for adults and children. The credibility of these resources are supported by anonymous community reviews.




  • Research

    Research was conducted through scholarly journal articles and interviews with non-profit organizations about the psychology behind domestic abuse survivors who choose to seek or avoid help. Some key findings included:

    • Intimate partner violence is prevalent on college campuses, with estimates of dating violence ranging from 10 to 50 percent.
    • 1 in 4 women will experience domestic violence during her lifetime.
    • In 2 out of 3 female homicide cases, females are killed by a family member or intimate partner.
    • Every minute, about 20 people are physically abused by an intimate partner in the USA.



  • User Personas

    Interviews were conducted with community stakeholders and anonymous victims of domestic abuse in order to accurately gauge user experience. Commonn thoughts in these interviews included:

    • We live in a rape culture where there's victim-blaming and stigma, even from friends, family, police, and school.
    • Counselors, especially at colleges, can be frustrating if you don't find the right one. It's a trial-and-error for who is actually best to talk to.
    • We need more way resources to be improved, like shelters, transitionary housing, and legal help.
    • Victims who seek help already know at this point that their relationship is abusive. Beyond education, they need a solid plan for action.




  • Concept Development

    Upon further research and stakeholder interviews, the concept developed into a more universal solution that would meet the unaddressed needs of accessibility and agency. Proposed features of the app included:

    • Anonymous reviews within the user's community to engage the target audience with peers who could relate to them.
    • Categorized services to provide as many options as possible for how the user decides to seek help.
    • Filter options to allow users to seek resources based on closest destination or highest rating.
    • A quick escape button to allow users to switch to a different mobile app.