This survey mainly target female of age between 13-30 years old who had been in a relationship before. This survey is handed out to both genders who may or may not have been involved in dating violence.
This survey aims to collect data on generally whether people are aware of the causes and effects of dating violence and where to seek help when needed. It is also to see how common it is for people to experience dating violence. It is also to gather the perspective of people who have never dated before and how would they react or help others when encountering such situations.
Survey Findings
Respondents’ gender: 43 females 17 males
Respondents’ age: Mainly 21-24 years old
Most of the respondent started dating at the age of 14-16 years old which is around the age of teenagers when we are studying in secondary schools.
A mixture of ideas regarding dating violence. Both emotional and physical level is mentioned.
Most respondent roughly knows the effect of dating violence.
There is a mixed opinion regarding how common is an abusive relationship.
80% of the respondent thinks that dating violence is a serious issue.
Top 3 situation that respondent strongly agreed and considered as dating violence are: Physical, Forcing, Threatening
Nearing half of the respondents have experienced dating violence before.
Most respondent experiences more verbal, emotional and manipulative abuse rather than physical abuse in dating violence.
Many of the respondents are emotionally affected.
The main reason for respondents in this survey still choose to stay in an abusive relationship is out of forgiveness.
Respondent’s reaction( including both those has been and those hasn’t been in an abusive relationship before): As a whole, some respondent felt that is easy and some felt it is difficult to identify whether if they are in an abusive relationship. While 16 out of 28 of those who have been in an abusive relationship before finds it not easy.
However, when it comes to leaving 43% of the respondents felt that it’s difficult.
Most respondents would give advice to break up but it is up to the person to do it or not. While others would just support them by listening.
Most respondents would rather prefer to resolve the issue of being in an abusive relationship by themselves.
69% of the respondents don’t know whether their close ones are involved in dating violence while 31% of them do know someone that is involved.
Top 3 suggested solution for raising awareness: Online platform, Video, Toolkit and interactive poster
73% of the respondents as a whole does not know of any helplines or specialist centers.
Final Key Conclusion
Approximately half of the 60 respondent had experienced an abusive relationship before and are mainly females that started dating during at age 14-16 years old.
Approximately 1 in 3 would rather prefer to solve the issues by themselves instead of seeking help.
23 out of 28 respondent who has experienced an abusive relationship before are unaware of any helplines.
People who had experienced an abusive relationship before find it not easy to identify that they are in one and it is difficult for them to get out of it.
CONTEXT: There is an increasing trend of dating violence. Many were unaware that unmarried woman faces the same violence as domestic violence. It is dangerous as they are not protected by Singapore law.
OBJECTIVES: The infographic aims to inform and gain more awareness so as to improve the situation and help the people around us that encounter dating violence.
TARGET AUDIENCE: Unmarried woman of age between 13 – 30 years old and the general public.
Landing PageHome page with daily emotion threadsStatistics of mood and life trackingInformation about healthy relationshipInformation for support and helplinesCreate new entry for “life assessment”, “mood rating” and “checklist”
Checklist for checking if one is in an abusive relationship
Daily mood rating pageDiary writing – Noting down events that happened with further feeling expressionsLife assessment – to assess satisfactory regarding various area in life so as to reflect and improve for the better.
Selflov is an app designed for women targeted between age 13-30 years old who may or are experiencing dating violence. It serves as a self-assessment and emotion tracking app that functions as a daily diary with a checklist that allows one to gains awareness. Secondly, the app also provides helpline and information resources to protect them from further being a victim.
This app aims to solve some of the common issues that most women who are in dating violence experiences. That is, to most women who are experiencing dating violence, they are unaware that they are in an abusive relationship or are unsure of where and how to seek help.
An MRT poster by the door that informs the general public regarding dating violence and serves as a platform that reaches out and direct women who may or are experiencing dating violence to download an app, Selflov(2nd deliverable). The app act as a self-assessment app that allows one to gains awareness, provides help and resources to protect them from further being a victim.
MOCKUPS
Mockup 1 – Final MRT Poster by the MRT doorMockup 1 – Final MRT Poster by the MRT door with human scaleMockup 2– Final MRT Poster at MRT environmentMockup 3– Poster on female toilet cubicle door (outside)Mockup 3 – Poster on female toilet cubicle door (inside)
In the current society, I felt that there are many issues that are not being explored or known by the public. Many issues that are “invisible” or things that we don’t see them as important are actually quite serious and could further lead to other issues. However, many just either choose to take it lightly or ignored these issues. The following are some of the current issues that I’m interested in and am concern of!
Many times, people are aware and concern about the illnesses itself. However, we often neglect the fact that a lot of the time family caregivers are under tremendous stress as well while taking care of patients with cognitive illnesses such as dementia. It’s not easy and it is draining because you are dealing with someone close to you and it involves a lot of emotions and mixed feelings while taking care of their unpleasant reactions sometimes. Hence I hope that the caregiver could be supported and cared for, having the society to pay more attention to their well being as well.
Many were aware of domestic violence and it is an issue that is protected under Singapore law. However, society neglected that unmarried woman faces the same issues and it is as equally dangerous and important to address this issue and to gain more awareness.
Global warming continued to rise and it is not improving. Animals are losing their habitat and sooner or later it would be us the humans that will suffer too. However, many other countries are not acting upon the situation. Hence, as visual communication designer, we should play our part too to help to improve the situation.
In Singapore 1 out of 150 children have autism, people with autism face difficulties in socializing and expressing themselves. It is important to raise more awareness and help them to better express themselves and adapting to their environments so that they could also integrate into society and able to be independent.
Out of these issues, the first two regarding dementia caretaker and the abusive relationship of unmarried woman interest me the most. However, I have decided to choose the latter as I felt that it is an issue that is less known, easily neglected and capable to cause serious after effect. I felt that there is a need to raise awareness and rendered help to this group of people.
2) Why is it important, who does it affect and how?
Many women of various age suffered from abusive relationship (mentally, physically, verbally) without knowing due to the lack of knowledge or having the mentality that “ their love will be able to change the abuser for the better”. Hence, many continued to stay in such an unhealthy relationship without even knowing that it is an abusive relationship. Since each time, when the abuser did something wrong they would apologize after, and the cycle repeats. Therefore, victims continuing allowing the abuser to mistreat them and worse, getting married to their abuser leading to issues such as domestic violence, depression etc.
Furthermore, Singapore’s laws do not provide unmarried woman the same protection that married woman have. Unmarried women cannot apply for protection orders and reporting to police mostly ended up to no avail as it is either deemed as non-arrestable or being advised to file a magistrate’s complaint instead which the process is long and tedious that many victims give up on such options. Hence, it is important to raise higher awareness among society as well as educating fellow women on how to identify early red flags in order to be able to protect themselves.
There are many things such as early identifiable signs of red flags for the abuser’s behavior, monitoring the relationship and understanding our own attachment style could help in protecting ourselves better. It is always important to have early interventions and have the right relationship education to prevent ourselves to become the victim.
3) Who do you need to communicate to and why?
Target audience
Gender: Female
Age: 16-30
Race: All races
Social group: Victims in an abusive relationship/ ladies in a relationship or plan to go into one
Location: Singapore
Need & effect A lot of the times victims turn a blind eye towards the situation or on what others tell/warn/advise them. Many of the times in such a situation, for the people around the victims tend to feel that they are unable to be involved too much because they might felt that this is not their problem or this is the victims’ decision and it is not appropriate for them to interfere. Also, most of the time despite knowing the relationship is unhealthy victims still choose not to leave.
Therefore, there is a need for the victim to have self-realization, internalize logically and have the courage to seek help or step out of the relationship.
I hope that my target audience can have an easily everyday accessible item with the necessary information and are able to equipped with the knowledge to identify any red flags or realize an unhealthy relationship as early as possible. So that, they can have the courage to step away from the unhealthy relationship, to not lose confidence, to not be hurt or be traumatized.
4) How visual communication contributed to addressing the cause?
Name of designer/Organisation: NCSS fuelfor Choice of Media: Tool kit
Year: 2018
Link: https://www.ncss.gov.sg/caregiving
Analysis: Imaging is simple and easily understandable. The color used is bright yellow, cheerful color to lightened up the mood of the caregiver while using the toolkit. Font usage is appropriate. The format is good as there are different parts about information, guides on how to use the book, places for self-discovery. It is coherence in general however, it could be further improved by cutting down wordy paragraphs and make instruction straight to the point and easier for a quick read. Have more variety of colors and visuals to keep interest and lighten up mood. Engaging wise could have been more interactive such as using props like stickers etc.
Name of designer/Organisation: Jessica Duncan, Victor Petit Choice of Media: Interactive Poster Year: 2012, nil Link: https://www.behance.net/gallery/4254985/Extinct
and https://cargocollective.com/victorpetit/QR-CODE-Talking-Resume
Extinct – Jessica DucanQR CODE Talking Resume – Victor Petit
Analysis: The level of appropriateness was high as the imaging together with the interactivity of the viewers conveys the intended message and intention very clearly. The imaging, color conveys the mood. It is rather engaging and innovative to combine interactivity actions done by the viewers to come across the intended message. By being engaging it is impactful and effective in leaving deep impressions.
Other similar research examples:
Name of designer/Organisation: New Deal Design Choice of Media: Product Year: 2018 Link: https://www.dezeen.com/2018/07/12/new-deal-designs-buzz-wearable-techonology/Analysis: The product used rather gender neutral colors which is a good point. However, I felt there can be more variety. I like how it is a simple wristband with multiple functions to protect the target audience. Serving as a monitoring system, informing system as well as an alert system to help target audience in time of need.
Being the third time visiting Dialogue In The Dark really gives me a different take and experience as compared to the first few trips. I could still vividly remember during the very first session, I was quite nervous as I did not expect a pitch dark experience despite having my eyes fully opened. Out of the entire 1-hour tour, I had the deepest impression for dining in the dark. To order something and dining in the dark is not as easy as how I thought it was. After ordering with the help of the staff, there comes a moment whereby our food and drinks have arrived and everyone has difficulty identifying where is their ordered item and who ordered which item and who to pass it to.
After finally getting my hot milo, I had difficulties to even trying to figure out like where is the opening of the cover for drinking and where is the bin that they asked us to throw our finished food packaging etc. I felt that the experience we had in DID was really “nothing” as compared to what the visually-impaired had experienced in their everyday real-life situations since we are constantly able to rely on our “left or right walls” to guide us. The dining in the dark experience really struck me because it really makes me question myself that what if, I have no side walls to rely on? What if my surroundings are just empty spaces? What if I enter an unfamiliar terrain not knowing where is what? It’s going to be so much more frightening…
Now, the third time being here, being less afraid actually allows me to focus on many other details of the experience and better at understanding their needs. I realize I was very reliant on other types of guidance such as the guide’s voice or the sense of touch. I realize how descriptions and voicing out is important, such as what color is the item. Also, how we can better assist them in different areas.
I felt that role-playing research techniques allow us to put ourselves in the shoes of others. Despite not being able to fully mimic the real experience, but it allows us to have a certain degree of better understanding towards a certain special group of people. By using this technique, I felt that it allow us to notice minor details of the needs of these special groups of people, details that we might have never realized before. After experiencing such design techniques, designers can utilize their experiences and information gathered to create a better, relatable and much more impactful design.
Since design is all about communicating ideas, I felt that it is important for designers to experience things by ourselves and not just gathering information by the screen as we might miss out certain key aspect. Design needs to be relatable, understood and work out or be purposeful for our target audience. Some context could be for example having the need to design an installation exhibition to gain public awareness by wanting the public to experience what the special groups of people were experiencing (like how we went through the DID experience). Another example would be designing products that help these special groups of people (such as apps etc). Or perhaps designing posters and banners that catches the attention of the public to increase awareness etc. Special groups of people could include the elderlies, disabilities, mental illnesses, cognitive illnesses, physical illnesses or any other issues or people’s situations in general that we don’t experiences and require better understanding.
