Designing Digital Safe Spaces For Peer Support and Connectivity in Patriarchal Contexts

This paper explores the opportunities and challenges in designing peer-support mechanisms for low-income, low-literate women in Pakistan, a patriarchal and religious context where women's movements, social relations and access to digital technologies are restricted. Through a qualitative, empirical study with 21 participants we examine the cultural and patriarchal framework where shame and fear of defamation restrict the seeking of support for personal narratives around taboo subjects like abortion, sexual harassment, rape and domestic abuse. Based on our qualitative data we also conduct a participatory design activity with 15 low-income, low-literate women to explore the specific design of peer-support technologies for support seeking and the sharing of sensitive and taboo narratives in a deeply patriarchal society. The design concerns raised by our participants regarding privacy, anonymity and safety provide CSCW researchers with valuable guidelines about designing for social connections and support for vulnerable populations within a particular context.