Violetta

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a significant global health issue: the World Health Organization reports that one in three women experience some form of violence in their lifetimes, highlighting the pervasive nature of this problem. In Mexico, GBV is a widespread issue, with over 70% of women aged 15 and older having experienced some form of violence in various contexts such as family, school, workplace, public spaces, or within romantic relationships (INEGI). The year 2020, marked by the pandemic, drastically reshaped our global interactions, accentuating the importance of collaborative efforts, connectivity through technology, and the relevance of physical and mental health. In Mexico, as we shifted toward more isolated living conditions, instances of domestic violence increased sharply. This was reflected by a 31.5% surge in emergency calls to 911 for incidents of violence against women by the end of 2020 (INEGI). This increase not only highlighted the high incidence of GBV but also the lack of adequate resources to address it.

The scale of this problem underscores a critical area for intervention, especially considering its effects on the physical, psychological, and mental health of those impacted. Emotional well-being is intrinsically linked to physical health, affecting stress levels, immune function, and overall life satisfaction. The pervasive exposure to violence poses a significant threat to the health and well-being of women. The normalization of violence underlies the issue. The absence of preventive interventions, limited access to comprehensive education and information, and economic and social barriers that prevent access to adequate resources leave women unprepared for making informed decisions and navigating complex relationships and systems. This calls for preventive and comprehensive solutions.

Intending to address the issue of violence from its roots, Violetta emerged as a solution that leverages technology to provide a safe space for violence prevention.  Violetta is a digital platform with an approach that focuses on the creation of healthy relationships and addressing early signs of violence before they escalate. This approach empowers users with tools to build sustainable, healthy relationships. Through an AI-powered chatbot and a web platform, Violetta offers emotional support, psychoeducational content, and facilitates the connection of its users with professional psychologists when necessary. Additionally, we collect data to further understand the needs of those we attend and refine our approach. 

Conversational Chatbot: Currently hosted on a web platform, our chatbot facilitates conversations across a range of topics, offering emotional validation and non-confrontational, practical guidance. It is powered by a generative artificial intelligence model, enabling dynamic, open-field interactions with high fluidity and precision.

Our earlier chatbot version operates on WhatsApp, using predefined and automated conversation paths that cover a variety of topics, including self-love, emotions, romantic relationships, family dynamics, breakups, sexual safety, and violence.

Educational Web Application: This platform allows users to access frequently asked questions, articles with detailed insights on various topics, and find additional resources that aid in the development of healthy relationships.

Professional Network: Integrated within the chatbot, this feature connects users with professional psychologists via text or phone calls, supported by our partners at Fundación Origen and Consejo Ciudadano. Users can also access a directory of essential resources, including shelters, medical and legal assistance centers, abortion clinics, relevant government agencies, and other NGOs focused on related issues.

Data Analysis: Each interaction with the chatbot generates data, providing insights into user needs and the situations they encounter. This statistical data collection helps us identify crucial patterns, enhancing our understanding of violence and continuously improving our platform.

Demo Violetta AI

Violetta targets young women ages 18-35 from socio-economic backgrounds C- and C, who live in urban contexts characterized by insecurity, overcrowding, limited educational and employment opportunities, and mobility challenges. These women have experienced various forms of violence both within and outside the home and are seeking to improve their life situations and well-being. However, they face significant economic and social barriers in accessing mental health services that are appropriate for their needs. This impedes the early identification of mistreatment, adversely affecting the quality of their relationships. These women can find in Violetta the emotional support necessary to manage their life situations and improve their relationships. Recognizing the universality of relationships and the diversity of experiences among individuals, we have identified three primary user groups within our target population:

The first group consists of individuals who are beginning to navigate new relationships or are questioning and reassessing their existing ones. These individuals are curious and have questions. For them, Violetta serves as an educational tool, providing information and fostering reflection to help them better understand the dynamics in their relationships.  

The second group comprises individuals facing specific challenges: a particular problem with someone, a decision they're contemplating, or an emotional state they wish to navigate, for example. For these individuals, Violetta acts as a confidant and guide, offering practical advice and consistent support to help them manage their situations effectively.

The final group includes individuals who suspect or recognize that they are in a violent or abusive situation. This might involve individuals just realizing the nature of their relationship or those who are already aware and seeking support. Violetta assists them in identifying relevant signs of violence and, once acknowledged, acts as a referral tool, directing them to immediate professional help. While Violetta is not an emergency service and is not designed to handle emergency or crisis situations, we understand that individuals in such circumstances may reach out to our platform. Therefore, we ensure that users can connect with professionals whenever needed.

Violetta was founded by four young women who identified gender-based violence as an issue that affected all, including themselves, as it often goes unrecognized in its more subtle forms. Understanding how the normalization of violence affects interpersonal relationships and well-being, their goal was to foster healthier, violence-free relationships. Violetta is currently supported by a multidisciplinary team of nine young women who bring diverse expertise and personal experiences to the table. Given that our target audience comprises women of similar ages and backgrounds as those in our team the women-centric nature of our team is essential for advancing our mission. The first-hand understanding, empathy, and unique perspectives of our team members shape and influence the direction and depth of our interventions. This approach ensures that our strategies and solutions are rooted in the lived realities of those we aim to assist, as we inherently prioritize and validate the experiences and narratives of women. 

Additionally, to understand the needs of the populations we serve and ensure their active engagement in the development of our solution, we have developed a comprehensive approach.

• Data generation and analysis: Violetta collects and analyzes data from user interactions to understand key concerns and emotional patterns. This analysis helps us tailor our platform to better meet the specific needs and contexts of our users by identifying trends in topics, emotional responses, and demographics.

• Advanced analytical tools: We utilize Natural Language Processing (NLP) to detect patterns in the topics discussed by our users, further deepening our understanding of their needs. This information guides our content development to more effectively address these specific concerns.

• Community engagement and feedback: We actively engage with our community through social media, events, focus groups, and other communication channels to gather feedback, which continually informs our improvements. Through both open-field responses and structured focus groups, we capture direct and unfiltered insights into user needs, preferences, and areas for enhancement.

• Collaborations and mentors: We collaborate with a network of field experts, including organizations like Fundación Origen and Broxel, as well as individual mentors from leading companies and institutions. These partnerships provide us with a broad range of perspectives, ensuring that our approach is well-rounded and informed by comprehensive expert and community insights.

In summary, the design and implementation of our solution are heavily informed by continuous data analysis, direct community feedback, technological tools, expert insights, and the expertise and insights our team brings both personally and professionally, ensuring that it remains relevant and aligned with the needs of the communities we serve.

Violetta's trajectory has demonstrated the robust design of our solution, important reach across diverse communities, and readiness for further expansion. Our journey began in 2021 with the launch of our initial chatbot on Facebook Messenger, which was designed to provide basic information about different forms of gender violence and reached over 30,000 users. This effort was bolstered by a 1.8 million MXN grant from the Ponte la Verde ante el Covid award, effectively kickstarting our solution. In 2022, we transitioned our chatbot to WhatsApp, enhancing it with more applied content and improved conversation paths. This significantly broadened our reach, engaging over 200,000 new users. In 2023, we worked to integrate AI technology into our chatbot, enabling open-ended interactions that improved the fluidity and precision of responses. This latest version, launched in February 2024, is capable of addressing a broader range of specific needs and can adapt to new contexts and languages. We anticipate that this new technology will fuel continuous growth and enable scaling. From the beginning until now, we have raised a total of 10 million MXN pesos to support this growth.

Beyond the impact of our platform,  we have successfully built a community of allies, beneficiaries, and donors. Our social media presence includes over 30,000 followers on Instagram, 60,000 on Facebook, and 20,000 from other platforms. Our strategic alliances with Fundación Origen, an NGO with over 20 years of experience in gender issues, and Broxel, a fintech company, have solidified our position as pioneers at the intersection of gender perspective and technology. These partnerships are complemented by individual mentors, donors, and allies from a range of institutions. Additionally, our collaborations with prominent organizations such as Fundación Televisa, PepsiCo, and Lottus Education have further validated our impact beyond our direct users. These accomplishments align with the "Growth" stage, showcasing a robust foundation ready for expansion and greater impact.

Violetta is at a pivotal stage in its development. Since our creation almost 4 years ago, Violetta's growth has been exponential, driven by significant improvements in the technology we use. This is why we are convinced that with the new version of the chatbot, Violetta can become the leading platform democratizing access to tools for fostering healthy relationships, crucial for effective violence prevention. With the recent soft launch of our new AI-driven chatbot, applying to Solve represents a strategic opportunity to enhance our efforts in three key areas: 

Data analysis: Our previous chatbots collected a wide range of data, including demographics, trends in topics and subtopics, identification of high-risk users, user engagement levels, and user feedback. This data helped us understand our users' needs and the broader issues we were attending. With the recent introduction of a new chatbot powered by a generative AI model, the nature of our data collection has shifted from predetermined conversation paths to open-ended responses. This transition has fundamentally changed how we interact with and collect data from users, demanding a restructuring of our data collection and analysis processes. Support from Solve could guide us in refining these processes, which could in turn help us enhance our impact metrics, improve our understanding of user needs, and optimize our user acquisition strategies. We also see potential in leveraging our data to provide value to external stakeholders.

Fundraising efforts: Violetta relies on donations. While we have secured a major donor and engaged in various fundraising activities— events, collaborations, services, and merchandise—the introduction of our advanced tool calls for a shift towards more sustainable, recurring sources of income that can sustain consistent growth. We have been exploring new business models, particularly in offering services to companies, and would benefit from Solve's expertise and mentorship in developing effective fundraising strategies and robust income streams.

Organizational growth: The rapid evolution of our product demands a corresponding adaptation in our organizational structure. As our product grows, the need for an efficient, productive, and supportive organization becomes even more important. Mentorship from Solve in organizational development would help ensure that our team is well-equipped to meet new challenges, optimize productivity, and maintain a healthy work environment.

Violetta's innovation lies at the intersection of technology, early intervention, and a holistic understanding of gender-based violence. This combination offers unparalleled reach, provides a sustainable solution at the roots of violence, and enables innovative decision-making that can catalyze a range of positive impacts.

Accessibility: Violetta is a completely free, confidential, digital platform that leverages the widespread availability of technology to offer unprecedented scalability and reach. Unlike conventional services such as in-person counseling, which often involve costs and barriers related to time, distance, or risk, Violetta provides immediate support without these limitations. Our platform's accessibility complements traditional services, filling a crucial gap in the continuum of prevention and care for violence and mental health.

Preventive and professional approach: Through rigorous research, we have developed an ethical and theoretical framework to guide our chatbot's approach. This framework integrates a gender perspective and a human rights approach, and is tailored specifically to the Mexican and Latin American context. Our chatbot is designed to provide emotional validation and facilitate non-confrontational interactions that guide users through practical processes. This approach sets Violetta apart from other digital platforms in education and mental health by delivering content that is rigorously developed and contextualized to address this multifaceted issue. By addressing the earliest signs and root causes of violence, Violetta does more than prevent escalation; it fosters the development of healthy relationships from the outset, offering a long-term, root solution.

Commitment to data: We are committed to gathering and analyzing data, focusing on aspects often overlooked by traditional methods, to uncover new patterns, trends, and opportunities. Unlike traditional data collection methods, Violetta focuses on the user, eliciting honest and representative responses and collecting complex qualitative information. While data collection is not currently Violetta's primary function, it represents a significant future opportunity. Our dedication to understanding this data not only drives the continuous enhancement of our platform but can also eventually shape more effective strategies for addressing violence.

Broader impact: Violetta's influence extends far beyond the impact on its users. By equipping individuals with the tools and knowledge to build and sustain healthy relationships and encouraging them to share this learning within their communities, Violetta can create a ripple effect that enhances well-being not just for our users but also for those around them. Furthermore, we are pioneering advancements in generative AI technology by developing a model that eliminates existing biases and incorporates professional, tailor-made insights. Our AI understands and effectively addresses specific issues, setting new standards for ethical and context-aware AI in the field of violence prevention, health, and social initiatives overall.

Our theory of change posits that integrating cutting-edge technology with expert-driven approaches to violence prevention enables our digital platform to provide relevant support to a large number of individuals. By providing access to crucial information and guidance, we facilitate the development of socio-emotional skills essential for building healthy relationships and reducing behaviors that lead to violence.

Input: Our digital platform combines advanced technology with an evidence-based approach to violence prevention. This integration ensures accessibility and relevance for individuals in need of support.

Output: By deploying our digital platform, we reach a large number of active users, ensuring widespread accessibility. This is crucial for impacting individuals who encounter violence or relationship difficulties on a large scale.

Outcome: Users who engage with our platform gain essential skills and tools to foster healthy relationships. They receive emotional validation, practical guidance, and a non-confrontational space for learning and growth. Our tool is rated by users as effective in helping them better understand and navigate their relationships.

Impact: The long-term impact of our solution is evident in communities using our tool, demonstrated by improved relationship health and well-being. These improvements are measurable through enhanced health and well-being indicators.

Evidence: Violetta has connected with over 250,000 individuals, facilitating 50,000 connections to professional psychologists. This underscores both the demand for accessible support and the need for a bridge to professional help, as well as our success in reaching a large audience. Our user demographics reveal that 80% of our users are women, primarily aged between 18 to 35 years, closely aligning with our target audience. However, 20% of our users include men and non-binary individuals, with age groups extending up to 60+ years, demonstrating our capacity to address the needs of a broader audience beyond our primary target.

Feedback from our users provides insights into the effectiveness of our platform: 82.4% rate our tools as useful, and 62.4% would recommend them to someone going through a similar situation. User testimonials further illuminate our impact: "Other chats just repeat themselves without any real support or response, but Violetta’s answers are truly aligned with what you share." "I felt good, as if I had known her for years, talking to her without judgment." These comments highlight Violetta's ability to provide tailored, realistic, and relevant support, as well as a safe space that fosters the trust and comfort essential for addressing personal relationship challenges and situations of violence.

We plan to incorporate external metrics into our analysis moving forward by connecting user metrics with broader community health and well-being indicators. This aims to refine our impact metrics and further validate the impact of our platform.

The core technology powering our solution is a generative AI model that drives our chatbot. This model marks a significant evolution from earlier versions of our chatbot, which were based on predetermined conversation paths. The new version uniquely integrates the conversational capabilities of ChatGPT with our specially tailored database. It supports open-ended interactions, enhancing the chatbot's fluidity and precision, and allows it to recognize users' needs and assist them in navigating various emotional states. 

Development of the reference database: Preparing a chatbot to address sensitive topics such as sexual health, violence, and self-harm, for example, requires having a robust theoretical foundation that is informed by experts. Creating Violetta’s reference database and framework involved rigorous academic research on psychological theories, research into the context and intersectional experiences of our target audience, and expert content curated and created by our psychology team. This process also included thorough analyses of several AI platforms, challenging them with complex queries to help define both the tone of communication and the conceptual foundation for Violetta. The resulting database is structured within an ethical and theoretical framework that incorporates a gender perspective, a human rights focus, and is sensitive to Latin American cultural and social contexts. This means that it is trained to take all these things into account when developing an answer. For example, when we presented other AI platforms with the prompt, "I was hit by a partner," many suggested couples therapy. However, Violetta recognizes two key issues with this response: first, that social, geographic, and economic barriers may make couples therapy unfeasible for the user; and second, that it is inappropriate advice from a gender perspective. Instead, Violetta identifies the individual as an at-risk user and offers immediate contact with a professional psychologist who can provide emotional support and guidance to adequate resources.

Training the model: After integrating the reference database, the training involved creating testing processes to ensure the tool's reliability and alignment with our ethical framework, managing any feedback, and integrating the model with our existing infrastructure. We established clear boundaries to ensure Violetta avoids talking about topics like religion, legal counsel, politics, personalized advice, or inciting violence. We set guidelines for appropriate communication as well, such as the use of a friendly language, using emojis and avoiding swear words. Recognizing the potential for anomalies, we have a contingency communication plan and legal safeguards in place to protect users and our team. Violetta undergoes rigorous testing continuously by diverse users and our expert team to ensure its efficacy and appropriateness. The reference database and training process of the model was informed by expert opinion and aligned with UNESCO's AI usage guidelines. 

Privacy and security: Maintaining user anonymity is crucial. Conversations remain anonymous, and our database is secured with robust measures, including secret key and IP-based authorization to ensure data protection. To access Violetta’s database, one must have a registered public IP address and valid user credentials, which are secured with strong password protocols.

7 full time employees, 2 half time employees

Violetta's project was initiated in November 2020 and was legally constituted in March 2021. Our team has been working on it for four years.

Our business model is focused on democratizing access to resources for creating healthy, violence-free relationships, aligning with our vision of a world where people have constant access to such support. Our main product is a digital platform that includes a chatbot and web app, offering accessible, professional support on personal relationships and violence prevention. This service, targeting young women facing economic and social barriers, is offered for free and is sustained through a donation-based model. This approach aims to promote the widespread development of essential socio-emotional skills and establishes a foundation for sustainable violence prevention practices.

In addition to our platform, we offer services to institutions and organizations, including data reports on tool usage within specific populations, presentations, and activities on key themes like violence normalization, gender roles and stereotypes, and the intersection of technology and social impact. Our objective is to promote mental health education in environments that traditionally overlook it. By targeting a diverse range of organizations across different sectors, these services extend our reach to audiences that can leverage our main product to advance our vision, while creating revenue opportunities. Furthermore, we participate in various events, including recreational, awareness-raising, and fundraising activities, in collaboration with other organizations. These efforts extend our reach to partner audiences and help us build a supportive community around Violetta and its mission.