AI chatbot built to help domestic violence victims

A group of tech experts is developing a new artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot to help victims of domestic violence more easily access the justice system and counselling programmes as the problem balloons in Thailand.

Winn Voravuthikunchai, group data scientist for Telenor Asia, said AI can be used for social good.

People seem to be more honest about sharing sensitive information with a machine than a human because they don't worry about being judged, he said.

This means AI can get more accurate data to provide more meaningful recommendations. AI also does not have limitations on what time of day it can provide services.

Mr Winn has experience in developing AI-powered technology locally and internationally, with robots collecting and classifying information without emotional judgement, which is a huge difference from human interactions. Venting to an anonymous algorithm relieves the fear of judgement, allowing victims to express their stress, anxiety and depression.

Research conducted by the UK-based advertising agency Mindshare in collaboration with IBM Watson and Goldsmith University found that people are inclined to trust chatbots with sensitive information and they are open to receiving advice from these AI services.

Mr Winn has also been running his own personal social project called "Botnoi", which is aimed at promoting and introducing the use of robots for a friendly approach. Surprisingly, there are more than 1 million subscribers, reflecting the growing interaction between humans and robots.

"This game-changing initiative is a big step for Thai social projects in adopting state-of-the-art technology to solve social problems effectively," said Mr Winn.

Pol Lt Col Peabprom Mekhiyanont, police inspector at the Investigation and Inquiry Affairs Department and project owner of Police Noi, said violence against women in Thailand is on the rise annually. Statistics from the collaborative report conducted by Thailand Institute of Justice and University of Cambridge indicated that a woman is raped every 15 minutes, resulting in 30,000 rape cases a year. A mere 4,000 cases are reported and only 2,400 cases see offenders arrested.

The figures showcase a serious problem in access to the justice system for victims. Most choose to stay silent, viewing the matter as private. Gender biases in legal systems as well as social and economic barriers are also challenges for women accessing the justice system. As a consequence of these challenges, an incredibly low number of offenders are prosecuted, with only 696 making it to court in 2013.

"Effective counselling systems, like mobile applications and chatbots, will play a critical role in reducing domestic violence and optimising the access to justice system of victims," he said.

According to data from Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation (WMPMF), domestic violence in Thailand is devolving dramatically, especially in sheer numbers and forms of violence. The study found there were 466 criminal reports related to domestic abuse in 2016, with 83% being murders.

Jadej Chaowilai, director of WMPMF, said most domestic violence incidents are instigated by men and include physical abuse, triggered by sexual jealousy and accusations of infidelity.

"Domestic violence in Thailand is fundamentally dominated by the myth of androcentric culture, which refers to women as belonging to men. This reflects persisting gender inequality in the nation," said Mr Jadej. "A safe space that offers an emphatic and supportive counselling program is critical to ending domestic violence, including more personnel and a better attitude towards human security."