30 May 2023

How is content created for the AinoAid chat services?

Domestic violence is a global problem and affects millions of people. It causes several problems not only for the victims of violence but for the whole family. Also, perpetrators suffer, and in order for them to end their violent behaviour, they need help.

Due to the fact that violence at home is not a black-and-white issue, generally, it is very hard to recognize what is considered violence. When it comes to physical violence, it is pretty easy to understand. But, for example, mental violence and economic violence are much harder to distinguish. Sometimes also, sexual violence in a relationship might be hard to spot.

AinoAid content is co-created with people affected by domestic violence.
From interviews We Encourage conducted with domestic violence survivors, we have learned that it indeed is hard to recognize and admit there is violence in the relationship. There is a need to understand the issue better, to learn about the cycles, and what is acceptable and what is not acceptable behaviour in a healthy relationship. Many of interviewed survivors told us that they had a very high threshold to contact any help providing services because they felt that they were not having “enough serious problems”, even though they actually did suffer from very serious violence. They wanted first to learn more and acquire knowledge before reaching out for help. However, they found it challenging to find reliable sources of information they could relate to.

Based on the experiences of the violence survivors, our domestic violence professionals, Elli and Katja, who have long experience in supporting people affected by domestic violence, create the content for our AinoAid services.

AinoAid services include AINO chatbot, which is trained to have useful information related to domestic violence, and it is capable of having conversations with users who want to understand better what is going on in their relationship. Most of the survivors explained how hard it is to speak about their worries because, first of all, they are ashamed of the situation and, secondly, because they are afraid and uncertain of their feelings and thoughts. Often the perpetrator uses gaslighting tactics and makes the victim believe it’s all their fault or that they just imagined everything.


AinoAid’s chat content is created to educate and guide.

AinoAid chat content is created by Elli and Katja, who have been working for years with victims, perpetrators and children affected by domestic abuse. They offer therapeutic discussion support for people affected by domestic violence via their company Hyvinpitely Oy. Elli and Katja are also partners of We Encourage, and AINO chat is their collective voice, offering a supportive shoulder for anyone affected by domestic violence.

AinoAid’s chatbot content and discussion support are created by Elli’s and Katja’s experience working as therapists. They have a vast understanding of what type of questions and concerns people have and what type of emphatic yet firm and encouraging support and help people need. AinoAid services are not only created to support victims but, in the future, also perpetrators, who might have an even higher threshold to seek and reach out for help. Also, families and friends will be able to find support and help from the AI tool in the future.

Content creation for AINO is a continuous process, and AINO will become better as users interact with it. Elli and Katja make sure that the content and the AINO replies are helpful for the users and that it is safe to use the AI tool.

Domestic abuse, also called “domestic violence” or “intimate partner violence”, can be defined as a pattern of behavior in any relationship that is used to gain or maintain power and control over an intimate partner. Abuse is physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological actions or threats of actions that influence another person. This includes any behaviors that frighten, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, blame, injure, or wound someone. Domestic abuse can happen to anyone of any race, age, sexual orientation, religion, or gender. It can occur within a range of relationships including couples who are married, living together or dating. Domestic violence affects people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and education levels. (UN)

I think the victim is very poorly able to search for help. There was a really big threshold for me to even search on Google for intimate partner violence. It was already a really big step. I couldn’t contact existing organizations, I felt it was happening somewhere far away, and I felt I wasn’t their client. I knew there was Naisten Linja and Ensi- ja Turvakoti [a volunteer-based helpline and chat and an organisation for safety houses], but I couldn’t ever contact them. It scared me, I was afraid of what would happen if I contacted them. I knew that if I contacted them, I would have to say what the situation really was. Shame influenced me, I couldn’t put it into words. (Survivor)

The first simple version of the AINO tool is open for testing, and the new conversational version is under development during the IMPROVE project. The reliable, encouraging and therapeutic effects of chat conversation support created by professionals and provided by a machine is a safe way for users to start educating themselves about their situation. With the content trained to the AINO tool, created by violence professionals and inspired by survivors, people affected by violence can take the first steps without the fear of speaking about the problem with humans. AINO provides them with the support and guidance they need and the encouragement to reach out to support services. This lowers the threshold to reach out for help as people are more educated and knowledgeable about their situation and rights.

AINO’s content is created in such a way that the user can browse through the relevant information and contact details and interact with the chatbot by asking questions and sharing concerns and worries. AINO will guide them towards the right type of support services and provide comforting conversational chat support.

We Encourage is proud to be part of IMPROVE.

IMPROVE is an EU consortium project funded by EU Horizon, where We Encourage is a lead partner in developing AinoAid services.

This post is published also in We Encourage’s Medium blog. 


About the author

Anna Juusela, founder and CEO of We Encourage

Anna Juusela is an entrepreneur with 10+ years of experience in the retail sector as a teacher and a consultant in the field of trends, profitability, and marketing. Her vision and determination to prevent violence and empower women led her to establish the startup We Encourage. The impact company utilises tech by developing the AinoAid™ AI chatbot and services, providing guidance and mental health support for anyone affected by domestic violence 24/7.