The field of digital mental health solutions for domestic violence victims has gained significant attention, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic highlighted the paradox where family and friends, typically seen as sources of support, could become sources of violence. This has underscored the urgent need for timely mental health assistance for victims, which is often lacking due to strained global mental health services. Recent technological advancements, such as generative artificial intelligence and wearable technologies, offer promising avenues to address these challenges. AI-driven chatbots can provide personalized support, while wearables can monitor victims' biometrics to alert healthcare providers and loved ones of potential dangers. Despite these innovations, there remains a significant gap in research regarding their effectiveness, accessibility, and the victims' ability to utilize these technologies effectively. The post-COVID era presents an opportunity to explore these digital solutions further, yet questions remain about their efficacy, awareness, and the resources required for victims to leverage them fully.
This research topic aims to investigate digital mental health solutions for domestic violence victims in the post-pandemic era. The primary objectives include understanding the availability and efficacy of these digital services, identifying the challenges and opportunities victims face in utilizing them, and exploring the ethical considerations involved. By addressing these questions, the research seeks to provide clarity on how digital innovations can be harnessed to offer timely and effective mental health support to domestic violence victims.
To gather further insights in the realm of digital mental health solutions for domestic violence victims, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
- What available digital mental health services can domestic violence victims utilize post-COVID?
- What are the characteristics, functions, and efficacies of available digital mental health services for domestic violence victims?
- What challenges and opportunities might domestic violence victims face while attempting to utilize and apply available digital mental health services?
- What are the limitations in existing digital mental health solutions for helping domestic violence victims who might face challenges such as low digital literacy, poor financial autonomy, and seemingly inescapable webs of family ties and duties?
- What are the digital mental health services or solutions that domestic violence victims might need most but have yet to access?
- What are the ethical considerations in developing, delivering, and evaluating digital mental health solutions for domestic violence victims?
Keywords: domestic violence, digital mental health solutions, generative artificial intelligence, wearable health technologies, post-covid healthcare innovation
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
