Thuso

About the project

Thuso is a 24/7 real-time response and support app for people facing gender-based violence and domestic abuse. We were approached to design it knowing it could help someone in real danger. Researching the topic was hard, as many of the stories are distressing, but it shaped every decision about how quickly a user can call for help.

The design centres on one large panic button that sends an alert and the user's location to Thuso, with a short countdown so a mistaken press can be cancelled. After an alert, the user can start a video recording. Around that core we designed sign-in, private messaging, an FAQ, support articles and an emergency contacts screen for police, hospital and a suicide line.