The online platform P.O.L.I.N.A, created by the Crisis Center for Women in Saint Petersburg, Russia, leverages technology to support women affected by violence. This innovative system facilitates immediate and structured access to a comprehensive range of legal and psychological services, streamlining the process for both service users and providers. P.O.L.I.N.A leads users through the necessary steps for legal action and medical documentation, ensuring that women can secure their rights and receive the necessary support. The platform ensures proper assistance through user-friendly navigation for each issue via detailed guidelines and step-by-step instructions, including all necessary resources, links, chatbots and contacts. This platform not only employs technology to deliver timely aid but also embodies the Center's commitment to empowering women through accessible, high-quality assistance.

Theory of Change

Using digital tools empowers victims of violence by providing immediate support, legal and psychological assistance and advocacy, which addresses gender equality and contributes to long-term social change and protection of human rights.

Activities

P.O.L.I.N.A offers a wide array of assistance, from detailed guides on dealing with domestic violence, stalking, and divorce, to actionable templates for legal filings. These templates can be directly filled out by users and submitted for legal review by the Center’s staff lawyers, simplifying the process of initiating legal proceedings. P.O.L.I.N.A extends its reach through proactive public engagement. The platform is actively promoted via social media campaigns and participation in various events, aiming to raise awareness about domestic violence and educate the community about the available support services to those in need. The Crisis Center also leverages social media and adds their instructions on YouTube channel, which offers educational content to both victims and professionals.

Results

The introduction of the P.O.L.I.N.A platform marked a substantial increase in the organization's impact, as indicated by the significant year-on-year growth of its user base. The number of  unique inquiries has risen dramatically, from 15,000 in 2019 to 175,976 in 2022. This progressive increase underscores the practical effectiveness of the digital tool. Thanks to the online system, assistance is provided across the country, with over 75% of those reaching out to the P.O.L.I.N.A service coming from locations other than Saint Petersburg and Moscow, demonstrating its extensive reach and usefulness in addressing the needs of women facing violence.