Designing a digital support app to combat domestic violence against women during the covid-19 lockdown

Teia was developed during Minerva Jam UFRJ 2020, a hackathon organized by the Computer Science Department at UFRJ with the goal of turning innovative ideas into real solutions capable of generating a positive impact in the world. That edition’s challenge focused on the intersection between the COVID-19 pandemic and domestic violence, proposing the following guiding question: “COVID-19, social isolation, and abusive relationships: am I safe at home?”

In response to this scenario, we had 36 hours to research, ideate, and prototype a digital solution to support women facing situations of violence. The project was later awarded at the Brasil Design Awards 2020 and invited to collaborate with innovation programs and Maria da Penha Law initiatives.

We launched an online survey and received 176 responses in 24h. The data helped us understand the complexities of reporting abuse and the emotional, financial, and cultural barriers involved. Here are some of the most relevant results, including quantitative and qualitative data:

Based on the research findings, we shaped the concept of our solution around the most critical user needs. The profiles and even the number of personas were directly informed by the data we collected in the survey, reflecting the variety of women’s experiences with domestic violence — from those who felt safe but were aware of others’ pain, to those who lived with their abusers and didn’t recognize their situation as violent.

Eduarda – 18 years old
Feels safe at home but knows someone who experienced abuse and didn’t report it out of fear. Would prefer to report harassment to a woman.

Milena – 22 years old
Lives with her partner and doesn’t feel safe, but doesn’t recognize her situation as abuse. Has never reported to the authorities.

Francisca – 27 years old
Experienced abuse, but hasn’t reported it due to fear and financial dependence on the aggressor. Would feel safer reporting to another woman.

Joana – 41 years old
Left an abusive relationship and lives with her children. Her previous attempt to report was discouraging, involving a male officer. She believes a safe space for women is crucial during quarantine.

70% of respondents said they know someone who has experienced domestic violence.
75% of women reported they would feel more comfortable reporting harassment to another woman.
62% said they or someone they know avoided reporting an incident due to fear, insecurity, or other reasons.

A national survey conducted by the Brazilian Forum of Public Security and published by Folha de São Paulo showed that 52% of women do not report their aggressor to the police or family.

Lack of safety (68.9%)
Fear of the abuser’s reaction (62.3%)
Lack of information (25.5%)
Fear of authorities (19.8%)
Negligence (6.6%)

To address the needs of our personas and survey respondents, we proposed a set of features focused on discretion, empowerment, support, and access to help.

Below is a visual representation of the app’s navigation flow. This hierarchical structure illustrates the main user journey, from login and registration to accessing core services. We made sure to include alternate paths for error prevention, such as "forgot my password" and even an option to use the app anonymously — preserving user safety and privacy without requiring sign-up.

It also maps out essential interactions within the platform, including sending or receiving help, accessing chat services, and engaging with the community in a secure environment.

After completing our data analysis and defining the personas, features, and user flow, we moved into the prototyping phase. We began with low-fidelity wireframes to focus on information architecture and usability. At this stage, we worked in grayscale, deliberately avoiding visual styling to prioritize intuitive layout and content allocation. This approach helped us validate structure and functionality early, without getting attached to visual details.

Once we had a solid low-fidelity draft, we began developing the visual identity of the app. We defined the product name, logo, color palette, and typography — including font families and weights. These foundations guided the transition from low- to high-fidelity, bringing consistency and clarity to the final UI.

The result of our design process is a functional, high-fidelity prototype that reflects both the strategic research and visual direction we established. The project was awarded first place in the 2020 Hackathon and went on to receive recognition in the Brasil Design Awards 2020, in the Academic Projects category.