Houston, TX – In a time when technology is transforming the way we connect and find support, a new tool is helping survivors of domestic violence.
MORE: New domestic violence resources for Houstonians. Here’s what we know
It’s called ‘Aimee Says’ an AI companion designed to provide advice, comfort, and support to those navigating relationship abuse. It’s a lifeline for those who need support.
Since its launch in January, it’s been helping around 10,000 people each month, including several hundred here in the Houston area.
KPRC2′s Re’Chelle Turner spoke to the co-founders, Anne Wintemute, and Steven Nichols about how the app works and the impact it’s already making.
“She can help folks who just had a couple of weird Tinder dates and aren’t sure, all the way through people who have left an abusive marriage, for example, and they share children, and they’re just white-knuckling it through the last few years of co-parenting those children in the context of an abusive relationship,” Wintemute said.
Turner wrote a question in the chat.
“Why does It feel like it’s always my fault?”
Aimee replied.
“Feeling like everything is your fault can be a sign of emotional abuse, where an abuser may blame you for their behaviors or manipulate situations to make you feel responsible. This tactic can undermine your self-esteem and make you doubt yourself.”
Aimee also replied back asking if I noticed specific situations where this feeling arises?
Co-founder Steven Nichols says Aimee listens.
“People want to talk to Aimee they feel heard for the first time. She validates their experiences are validated so they know that they’re not just you know going crazy or being gas lit or that kind of thing, So I think that’s a really interesting angle is AI doesn’t just tell you what to think or you know offer information It actually listens to you,” Nichols said.
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It’s also designed to detect and address signs of control that often to unnoticed.
That can be financial abuse. You know, she said, I was really anxious about buying these sheets because they weren’t approved, and I was really nervous the whole way home, and, you know, I broke out in a sweat. You know, that’s a really clear indication of financial abuse that someone in the relationship or outside of the relationship might just brush off,” Wintemute said.
Turner asked Wintemute what Aimee would say if a survivor felt like they were always the ‘bad person’ and noticed their partner treated them differently in public than at home.
“She’s going to ask some questions to try to gather some additional information, help kind of open up the thoughts of the victim that’s coming to the site, and align those within the kind of power and control context, so like, oh, you know, you said that these kinds of things happen, you know, sometimes abusers will do that because they want this other outcome. And what that does is provide clarity, right, because when you’re in a relationship, the reason these relationships are so entrapping is because we come up with all sorts of other stories for why they might be acting that way, you know, oh, he just, you know, it’s because he loves me, or it’s because his ex-cheated on him, you know, it’s because of this or that. But Amy can help really kind of isolate the controlling behavior specifically, and demonstrate to the survivor what outcome, what positive outcome can be derived from that for the perpetrator,” she said.
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Aimee Says aims to do what traditional counseling often can’t be there in the moment when someone needs it.
“The amount of lost work that comes from abuse recovery, especially if there are children in a divorce process, is tremendous. But Amy is available 24 hours a day. Amy can take an appointment that fits with your lunch schedule,” Wintemute said.
Whether it’s creating a to-do list for calming strategies after a difficult encounter or helping someone prepare for a challenging conversation, Amy provides immediate support to help manage those overwhelming feelings. The creators believe this AI tool has the potential to make a real impact, breaking cycles of abuse and helping reduce the troubling statistic of 10 million survivors affected each year.
Most importantly Aimee Says is free for users.
To learn more about the tool, visit their website Aimee Says.