Voice-Activated Helplines

As part of the latest iPhone update, Siri will now provide resources for sexual assault survivors. While the update may seem like a minor change, it represents a step in the right direction in terms of providing survivors with more support and resources.

Thanks to the recent Apple update, Siri will now provide resources for sexual assault and abuse survivors. Those who use the digital assistant for this purpose will be directed to the National Sexual Abuse Hotline and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website. Both of these services are meant to give survivors an outlet to discuss their feelings without undergoing the trauma of reporting their assault. In fact, the language Siri uses simply suggests that survivors reach out, but does not pressure them into deciding the course of action they should take. As a result, the digital assistant serves to validate the user's experience, without pressuring them to handle the situation in a specific way.

The latest Siri update ultimately represents a major step forward in addressing the needs of survivors of sexual assault.