Google’s making sure victims of domestic violence have easy access to critical support resources
From delivering simple links, to converting Fahrenheit to Celsius, to telling you the phone number of the nearest Panda Express, Google is the go-to destination for getting quick answers — but some searches are more urgent than others, and shouldn’t be subjected to the whims of an algorithm. Case in point: seeking help for domestic violence. Recognizing this urgency, Google haspartnered with the National Domestic Violence Hotlinein the US to put resources for domestic violence victims front and center.
Whenever someone searches Google for “domestic violence help” or another related term, the number for the 24-hour hotline is placed at the top of the search along with direct links to phone, text, and chat services and the message “Help is available. Talk with someone today.” Google has had a similar feature in place forsuicide-related searchessince 2010.
The need for domestic violence services has only grown during the upheaval of the past two years. Covid-19 lockdowns have not only meant that victims are spending more time around their abusers, but that the services that victims rely on (e.g., abuse hotlines and shelters) are either understaffed or outright closed.
The National Domestic Violence Hotline was established in 1995 in the wake of the 1994 Violence Against Women Act. Since then, the hotline has answered more than 5 million calls. Its free services are available in over 200 languages, and it is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you need help, do not hesitate to reach out to them.
Check your order status!
It helped me wind down before bed
Samsung’s making a bold move
I found the only AI photo app worth keeping on my phone
It’s $30 off for a limited time
We just learned a little bit more about Light No Fire in a video about the Voyagers update for No Man’s Sky
