Introduction 

The eSafety Commissioner, Australia's independent online safety regulator established in 2021, launched the Preventing Tech-based Abuse of Women Grants Program in 2023 to address gender-based online violence. 

In response, researchers from the University of Melbourne developed The AI Ally Project in 2024, aiming to create a trauma-informed, AI-supported tool co-designed with young women, girls, and gender-diverse individuals affected by online harassment. 

"65% of Australian girls and young women have reported being harassed or abused online - higher than the global average."

The Challenge 

Online harassment disproportionately impacts women, girls and gender-diverse individuals, manifesting as unwanted contact, location monitoring, and threatening language. Many view this harassment as inevitable, developing coping strategies that often result in self-censorship and reduced online participation. 

Current moderation tools focus primarily on punishment rather than supporting victims or encouraging community intervention. While existing reporting tools help document abuse, they rarely assist users in making informed decisions about how to respond. 

"While young users are indeed tech-savvy and highly resilient, such coping strategies are an exhausting and unfair burden and ultimately result in a silencing effect." 

Our Approach 

The AI Ally Project uses feminist participatory action research to ensure solutions are guided by community needs. Our research examines: