The South West Grid for Learning (SWGfL) is planning to launch a digital platform to support victims of ‘revenge porn’.
Named Minerva, it is set to go live in March 2023 and will work with an online app for victims of online image based abuse to anonymously compile a diary of online and offline abuse and to direct them to support services.
Users will be able to add time stamped screenshots, photographs, videos or other supporting evidence to their diary entries, and create a portfolio of evidence to give to the police when they feel ready.
SWGfL, a charity dedicated to the safe use of technology, has developed the platform with digital product and innovation agency Rascal Ventures. There has also been input from the police, Crown Prosecution Service, charities, social media platforms and tech for good experts including Backed Technologies.
The project has been backed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and funded by the Tampon Tax Fund.
The charity has been running the Revenge Porn Helpline for six years and said it has ensured over 250,000 intimate images of victims have been removed from the internet.
Help line frustrations
Helpline manager Sophie Mortimer said: “Minerva arose out of our frustrations around the limitations of a nine till five office helpline to support victims of online abuse.
“The online world is omnipresent in our lives, and as such, online abuse knows no boundaries or timeframes. We realised we needed to harness technology to tackle online abuse 24/7 and help improve conviction rates.”
Jennie Wright, founder of Rascal Ventures, said: “We are excited to be delivering the Minerva platform and believe it will revolutionise the way in which support for victims of online harms is delivered.
“Working with SWGfL’s research partner, the University of Suffolk, we have focused on insight from those with lived experiences as well as practitioners in the field to co-create Minerva, ensuring the user is at the heart of the experience.”
