LEAF: A privacy-conscious social network-based intervention tool for IPV survivors

Destructive relationship behavior directed from one party to another in domestic relationships, both physical and emotional, is a common problem. When the behavior occurs in intimate relationships this is called intimate partner violence (IPV). There are many resources available to survivors of IPV in getting out of abusive situations, but the information is not readily available and is not always easy to find. Furthermore, once the survivor has escaped from the abusive situation, there are not many support type resources that are easily accessible, especially to people lacking transportation and to those residing in rural or suburban areas. LEAF is being created to address the issues that arise from limits in physical community support. The acronym stands for lending encouragement, affirming futures. These embody the vision for a system to provide support to those in difficult situations. The system contains three components: a web portal, a privacy-conscious social network, and a mobile app. By providing a web portal, LEAF aims to be a location where abuse survivors and others can find relevant information. The social network provides an online support community unrestricted by geographical diversity. LEAF incorporates new techniques for anonymous communication in social networks to enable information flow over distributed protected content, while safeguarding both personal information and privacy of individuals from unauthorized disclosure. We believe the outcomes of this system will have the potential for a significant impact on the use of specialized anonymous online social networks in the health care sector including the IPV support system addressed in this work.