Safe Support Chat

A secure and private chat service created for the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres

Woman sitting at a table looking at her cell phone
Photo by Kev Costello on Unsplash

About

Secure online support for survivors of sexual violence

Safe Support Chat is a private chat and text app designed specifically for the Ontario Coalition of Rape Crisis Centres (OCRCC) and their 30 member centres.

Informed by support seekers and frontline workers from sexual assault centres, this real time messaging chat service offers secure online support to survivors of sexual violence and harassment.

OCRCC Logo

Features

  • Private and secure communication

    Using the open source, decentralized communication platform, Matrix, Safe Support Chat provides anonymous and end-to-end encrypted communication.

  • Data autonomy

    Sexual assault centres maintain complete control over their own chat services and any data related to them.

  • Highly customizeable

    Centres can configure many aspects of the chat service according to their preferences, such as the automated messaging, appearance, and availability schedule.

  • Accessible via web or SMS

    Survivors can access the chat support service through an embedded chatbox on the sexual assault centre's website or via SMS messaging.

Screenshot of the embedded Safe Support chatbox
Mockup of an SMS chat conversation
Animated GIF of the embedded chatbox as a chat session is initiated

Acknowledgements

Safe Support Chat was developed and tested by a broad group of people committed to expanding access to sexual assault support including the core Project Team of PRIMAL GLOW Communications, Nomadic Labs and Brent Edwards Consulting.

The creation of Safe Support Chat has been funded through the “Using Technology to Better Support Survivors: Innovation in Frontline Settings” Innovation Fund Project through the Ministry of Community and Social Services, Office of Women’s Issues.

Contact

If you have any questions, issues, or feedback please contact us at feedback@safesupport.chat