In Hong Kong gender-based violence is considered a family affair and often goes unreported. It’s widespread and often tolerated, because of a deeply rooted societal inequality between men and women.

This is the first mobile app that uses AI to detect abuse by recognising the language used in abusive situations.

Studies show that certain verbal phrases accompany abuse and are often shouted by perpetrators in the lead-up to a physical attack. So, we trained our AI to recognise these key phrases in a variety of Cantonese dialects and English with a Cantonese accent. When heard, the app immediately but secretly records the entire incident that follows, helping victims create an accurate timetable of the abuse.

If the AI determines the incident is escalating, an emergency alert is sent to a pre-determined trusted contact, allowing loved ones to intervene.

This app helps victims speak up about the abuse, fight gaslighting and can be used as a legal base for convictions, driving real change. It might be designed to look generic, but for women in Hong Kong it’s an important step in the battle against gender-based abuse and equal rights.