The myPlan Canada app was co-developed at Western, with Nursing professor Marilyn Ford-Gilboe as the Canadian project lead.
The app lets women input information about their personal situation, and the options for personalization are extensive.
Women can input whether:
- They are in immediate danger
- They live with their partner
- They have young children at home
- Live in a rural or urban area
- Have access to a vehicle
Once their specific circumstance are inputted, they’ll receive a personalized plan to protect their health and safety.
“There isn’t anything as interactive or personalized as this,” Ford-Gilboe said. “It’s one of the few apps that has been tested through research.”
The free app will be available throughout Canada on Apple and Android devices. It will even include specific to provincial and territorial resources.
Ford-Gilboe said just 1-in-5 women experiencing intimate partner violence currently use helplines, shelters or domestic-violence programs. While the app isn’t designed to replace legal or medical assistance, Ford-Gilboe said it can help women decide what actions are right for them, including whether and where to seek support.
“We know women experiencing violence are strong and resilient – and sometimes support from the right place at the right time is something that makes an incredible difference to them,” said Ford-Gilboe. “Sometimes it’s in person and sometimes it’s not. It would be my hope that this app could provide some of that knowledge or insider info.”
Research partners for the app in Canada include Nursing professors Colleen Varcoe from the University of British Columbia (UBC) and Kelly Scott-Storey at the University of New Brunswick (UNB). A francophone version is in development through Université de Laval.
myPlan will be entirely secure and private and constantly be under improvement.
If you are in an abusive relationship right now and need assistance:
In an emergency, call 911. For 24-hour support by phone in London, call Anova at 519-642-3000 or the Ontario Assaulted Women’s Help Line at 1-866-863-0511.
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