Based on our findings around survivors’ preferences, we identified a set of core needs and defined a necessary feature set for any future story-sharing tool. We also identified four additional concept areas, beyond a digital tool, to address survivors’ needs. 

Survivors’ key needs include the following:

• Transparency into why providers are asking for their story and how the information will be used.
• Agency to determine how and who their story is shared with.
• Trained staff that make them feel supported and seen when sharing their story.
• Tools and resources that they can use on their own or with providers to organize and share their story.

Based on survivor and staff needs, any digital tool developed in the future to help survivors capture and share their story should have, at minimum, the following four features:

• Control over Ownership & Sharing
  • Survivors need the ability to securely manage the details of their story and decide who has access to what parts of their information.
• Low Demands on Tech Comfort & Capacity
  • Survivors need a tool that has a low learning curve and is easy to use and understand for non-tech-savvy clients and staff.
• Low Mental Load
  • Survivors, especially those who suffer from memory and executive-function loss, need a tool that is not overwhelming and helps them organize their stories and documents easily.
• Language Accessibility
  • Non-English-speaking survivors need translation capabilities and access to information in their own languages.

Beyond developing a digital tool to reduce the requirement that survivors retell their stories, agencies and providers that support DV survivors also have other powerful opportunities to improve survivors’ experience of accessing services.

Improve Transparency During Intake Provide clarity to survivors on what information providers need to collect during intake and why.

• Example Concept: What to Expect Guide
  • A one-pager staff share with DV survivors at the initial screening to explain the type of information different staff will request and why.

Enable Record Sharing Give survivors the ability to control how their records are shared across providers.

• Example Concept: Digital Locker of Records
  
  • A policy that allows survivors to have digital access to all of their records and give permission for providers to share information.

Strengthen Cross-Provider Trauma-Informed Practices Ensure a consistent standard for trauma-informed care for survivors across providers and services.

• Example Concept: Cross-Provider Knowledge Transfer
  • A communication and meeting infrastructure to foster cross-provider staff capacity building and sharing of best practices.

Standardize and Expand What’s Working Invest in programs and tools that already exist and work, but that may not be standardized or widely implemented across the system.

• Example Concept: Pilot an Existing Tool
  • • In collaboration with a survivor task force or existing advocacy groups, identify an existing tool or program to launch a short-term pilot with select providers.