These Counsellors Are Using Snapchat to Fight Domestic Abuse
Snapchat, at first glance, doesn’t seem like a tool designed to enact social justice, to educate people about their rights, but that’s exactly what it’s being used for in India.
Snap Counsellors is using the app as a two-way communication platform, and is using the privacy inherent in Snapchat to its advantage. Established by Rajshekar ‘Raj’ Patil, Avani Parekh and Nida Sheriff in March 2016, it’s already been a massive success.
“There are almost 200 people watching the stories we are broadcasting on Snapchat,” says Raj.
Snap Counsellors, aware of the growing problems of domestic abuse in India, particularly among young couples, sends out messages of hope to its followers, supporting them and encouraging them to come forward. “Snoop on my heart, not my phone,” and “Harsh words hurt as much as a hard fist,” are among the messages sent out so far.
The former indicates what makes Snapchat such a powerful tool, as messages disappear after they’ve been seen, meaning that victims need not fear that their abusers will discover the messages.
In turn, those suffering from abuse can also send secret messages to the service, which provides free and impartial support for victims. The account has quickly spread beyond Indian borders, and Raj reports that the account now receives messages from people in the U.S., Canada, and South Asia.
Originally aimed at teens, the service welcomes all users, including men. “We basically provide a compassionate, friendly outlet for people with questions,” says Avani Parekh, a trained counsellor. “We serve as a best friend that asks you the tough questions. We won’t tell anyone what to do, but if a relationship sounds like it’s abuse, we don’t hesitate to say it sounds like you are in an abusive relationship,”
Snapchat users now view 7 billion video clips per day, and as Snap Counsellors proves, its potential as a helpline is huge. The Snap Counsellors account can be added using the Snapchat ID lovedoctordotin, or on the web at http://lovedoctor.in/
This is an edited version of an article that first appeared on Bokeh.
