Research shows that women accessing digital spaces face a range of abuse online from trolling on social media to harassing phone calls. Furthermore, lack of information about safety and security in the digital space limits their access and exploration of the digital space. This was also found in Point of View’s digital literacy workshops with various communities on digital literacy. This highlighted the need for more readily available information on digital safety and security, especially in regional, non-text based mediums. With this in mind, Point of View piloted TechSakhi. TechSakhi is a Hindi digital information helpline intended for women, trans, queer, and non-binary persons. Our responders answer queries on digital safety and provide support for those facing online abuse or violence. Currently, it is a phone helpful but is intended to be an omnichannel service so users can access the information through phone, whatsapp, facebook or other popular mediums they are comfortable with. TechSakhi runs Monday to Friday, 11 am to 7 pm. We provide support in the following ways:
Offer information in response to cases of digital harassment, abuse, and violence
Answer questions on using the internet safely and securely
Demystify digital security for our users
Where relevant, we provide referrals to specific service providers (e.g., for legal, mental health, and other services)