Hope Chat AI, Coming Soon

DomesticShelters.org will soon roll out its latest helper, appropriately named Hope Chat. Available 24/7/365, Hope Chat is an AI (artificial intelligence) assistant that can quickly and intuitively help visitors to the site find the information they need. 

Rest assured, we are not being taken over by robots. Our 1,200-plus pieces of content are all one hundred percent human-written. The individuals answering your emails are real. However, we know that survivors, advocates and allies alike who come to DomesticShelters.org may not always want to talk to a human. And with so much content, it might be hard to find exactly what you’re looking for.

There can be something slightly intimidating about disclosing your concerns of abuse to someone you don’t know, whether you call a hotline or email an advocate for help. Not everyone is ready to open up to a stranger, even when that stranger is a trained domestic violence advocate (and will believe you). 

That’s why Hope Chat is here. Ready to listen, validate and honor the space a survivor or visitor to the site needs to ask any question on their mind, or simply share a concern or worry. DomesticShelters.org and its parent organization, Alliance for HOPE International, are excited for you to try out Hope Chat very soon. In the meantime, here are some answers to some questions you may have about this exciting new technology. 

Why was Hope Chat created?

DomesticShelters.org and Alliance for HOPE International developed Hope Chat, the AI helper, to assist visitors to the site in finding the answers they’re looking for more quickly and easily. We know that, especially in cases where survivors visit the site, their time to peruse information regarding abuse may be limited due to an abusive partner who may share their space or be monitoring their whereabouts. Sometimes, searching through our 1,200-plus articles can be daunting. A survivor may not be sure exactly what they’re looking for. By typing their concerns or questions to Hope Chat, the AI helper can direct them to the information that best suits their needs at that time. 

Who was Hope Chat created to help?

We created Hope Chat not only to assist survivors but also to aid with searches by advocates and support persons. For someone looking for more information about domestic violence, say, a concerned friend, parent, relative or employer, it can be daunting to know where to start. How do you best support someone who you suspect is with an abusive partner? How do you bring up the topic? Where do you direct someone for further help? How do you make a safety plan? These are all questions that Hope can help answer. 

What if I don’t know what to ask Hope Chat?

That’s OK. Thanks to AI technology, you can talk to Hope Chat just like you’d talk to a real person. If you’re not sure where to start, you can simply say, “I think I need help” or “I’m worried about my friend.” Hope Chat will follow up with questions that will help narrow down exactly the type of help or information you need. Each conversation will start with three options: Find Help Near Me, Understand Abuse and I’d LIke to Talk.

Is Hope Chat a “virtual advocate”?

No, Hope Chat is not meant to replace an advocate. Hope Chat was designed to get you to the right information on DomesticShelters.org. Advocates at shelters, Family Justice Centers and hotlines across the country are the true heroes who do tough work every day helping survivors when they’re going through their toughest times. Hope Chat the AI helper is meant to assist survivors, but not take the place of advocates who can provide more personalized resources. You can always find an advocate near you by visiting the DomesticShelters.org Get Help page. 

How does Hope Chat answer questions?

Hope Chat is built with a technology called a large language model (LLM). This model understands and generates human-like text by analyzing large amounts of data. The data lets an LLM respond to users without sounding, well, robotic. Instead, Hope Chat answers questions with sensitivity and compassion. 

Hope Chat has been trained using the wealth of information found on DomesticShelters.org—more than 1,200 articles, videos, webinars, and more covering nearly every facet of abuse and domestic violence. When you type your question, Hope Chat understands what you’re asking and can immediately recommend information, links and resources to help you.

Are my conversations with Hope Chat private?

Our visitors’ safety and privacy are of the utmost importance. 

The information you disclose will never be shared outside of DomesticShelters.org. Your conversations will be used to train Hope Chat further to provide the best support. We don’t collect personally identifying information. 

Can my abusive partner access my past conversations with Hope Chat?

Not unless the Hope Chat window is left open on a computer. We encourage users to exit the chat once complete or use the “Exit” button to close the conversation and redirect to weather.com immediately if an abuser approaches you. Unfortunately, some abusers do install spyware on computers to monitor what their partner is doing. 

Review these safe browsing tips for more information and find out how to recognize spyware on your phone.

What if I need more help than Hope Chat can give?

Consider reaching out to an advocate at a shelter, program or Family Justice Center near you. Speaking to a real person may seem intimidating, but the people on the other end of the phone are trained to speak to survivors. They’re there to help. 

Read “Calling a Hotline: What You Can Expect” to learn more. And yes, you can contact a hotline even if you’re not ready to leave your partner. It’s helpful to have your experience validated and to learn more about the options in your area, such as safety planning, housing or orders of protection. 

Can Hope Chat speak Spanish?

While it was specifically designed only for English, Hope Chat currently has limited ability to respond in other languages thanks to the power of AI. However because the tool is designed to produce links to content on DomesticShelters.org, the additional resources links will be to content that is only in English. 

Can I use Hope Chat on my website? 

Hope Chat is currently only available for people who visit DomesticShelters.org. We are developing a version of the chatbot that can be placed on other websites, like those operated by a domestic violence agency, to help people who may not feel comfortable calling their hotline. The tool will be customizable to match the existing website’s branding and will reply with program-specific information. If you’re interested in being a part of our pilot program, please complete this application before February 14th. 

How will I know when the chatbot is available?

We expect Hope Chat to be ready for the world in early 2025. Sign up for our weekly emails to be notified when Hope Chat is officially online. 

If you have any additional questions, please contact us at info@domesticshelters.org.