Digital Support, Real Impact: AskSHEROES Helpline’s Yearlong Journey, Offering Free Professional Counselling to Millions of Women in 2023
Explore AskSHEROES Helpline’s impactful 2023 journey, providing FREE professional counseling as a lifeline for women and fostering transformative connections.
In the vast expanse of online social networks, SHEROES emerges as a trailblazer by prioritizing mental health for its 25M+ strong tribe of incredible women. At its core lies the AskSHEROES Helpline — A lifeline for women worldwide, offering free 24/7 online counseling chat support that surpasses expectations by providing guidance on various issues. AskSHEROES Helpline provides emotional, professional, and sexual health guidance, along with relationship and career support. It is time to look back into some of the profound impact and significance of the AskSHEROES Helpline in the year 2023.
In 2023, the AskSHEROES Helpline was buzzing with over LAKH texts, connecting with women from vibrant Indian villages like Dhanbad to bustling cities like Cochin, major metro hubs, and international hotspots like Dubai and Canada. The outreach extended from villages and talukas to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, catering to a diverse audience with a global footprint.
So, what were women talking about?
When women turn to the AskSHEROES Helpline, it’s not always with the immediate awareness that they are seeking support for a mental health issue. They often seek a safe space to vent, share, express, and engage with their feelings. The primary desire is to feel heard, allowing them to sort through their thoughts, understand their emotions, and gain clarity on their expectations and concerns.
The conversations can be grouped into the following categories:
- Domestic Violence
The cases received by the AskSHEROES Helpline comprised a spectrum of distressing situations. These include instances of dating abuse, parental abuse, and various forms of domestic violence, ranging from emotional and mental to physical, sexual, financial, and verbal abuse. The Helpline has also been instrumental in addressing cases of elderly abuse, extending support to those facing challenging circumstances.
Real queries:
“How do I register a complaint against my partner who is abusing me on WhatsApp and threatening to ruin my life.”
“My husband is an alcoholic. He drinks daily. After that, he used to be violent and abuse everyone: his mother, sisters, me, and my four-month-old daughter. What can I do to stop him.”
“My ex-boyfriend has my intimate pictures and is threatening me to leak those. Please help me.”
Resolutions:
AskSHEROES Helpline offers assistance in identifying and addressing instances of violence, providing guidance on national-level helplines and resources for reporting abuse. The Helpline also facilitates connections with lawyers through the Legal Rights Community in the SHEROES app, ensuring comprehensive support for women navigating challenging situations.
2. Emotional/Psychological Issues
More of the cases in the Helpline were intricately tied to emotional and psychological challenges. A noteworthy observation is the prevalent trend where the majority of users actively engage in self-diagnosing mental health disorders. This dynamic underscores the critical need for accessible and empathetic mental health support.
Real Queries:
“I have been feeling depressed and hopeless for the past few months. What to do.”
“I just get overwhelmed at times. The feeling of having to live alone. I feel lost now; I can’t properly enjoy the moment.”
“Sometimes I feel low mood. During mood swings, I feel no energy or enthusiasm to work. I feel why I am not married. Thoughts of marrying come to my mind. I check shaadi.com daily but find no suitable match who shows interest in me.”
Resolutions:
As users navigate the complexities of their emotional well-being, the AskSHEROES Helpline is a steadfast companion, offering guidance, coping strategies, and a non-judgmental space for self-discovery and healing. The platform guided users to join Yoga and Meditation, Health, and LSR communities on the SHEROES app to stay informed and invest time in themselves.
“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women. “- Maya Angelou
3. Entrepreneurial & Career Advice
Many individuals sought entrepreneurial and career advice with diverse concerns. The AskSHEROES Helpline offered guidance on multifaceted aspects, from contemplating career breaks and aspiring for financial independence to aiding returning professionals, exploring varied career avenues, and delving into courses and mentorship opportunities. Users also sought advice on maintaining a healthy work-life balance and initiating entrepreneurial ventures.
Real Queries:
“Hi, I need some career advice on women breaking into tech. Wondering how I can start coding?”
“I’m a housewife with two children, and my husband has recently lost his job. I want to start my business and be financially independent. Please help me.”
“Hi, I need some career advice on women breaking into tech. Wondering how I can start coding?”
Resolutions:
The AskSHEROES Helpline addressed various professional aspirations, from career breaks to starting a business. Users were introduced to the Glow and Lovely Careers community to gain insights on career-related issues. They were also guided to choose their career path wisely, making informed choices about their careers, ways to upskill, and managing work-life balance.
4. Relationship & Sex Education
Within the diverse cases received, most revolved around intricate relationship dynamics. Those reaching out often grapple with a spectrum of family dynamics, spanning concerns within romantic relationships and issues with mothers, fathers, siblings, partners, in-laws, husbands, and friends. Moreover, the AskSHEROES Helpline has been a crucial platform for addressing matters related to sex and sexuality, offering support to individuals navigating confusion about their sexuality and seeking guidance on practicing safe sex. The breadth of relationship-related concerns underscores the Helpline’s role as a compassionate space for individuals to discuss, understand, and seek solutions for various personal matters.
Real Queries:
“My boyfriend fights with me a lot. That day, he came to hit me, and I could not do anything. I regret that. Help, please.”
“But I don’t feel anything when I look at him. I like to feel something. But I can’t. I am so confused about my feelings. I want to talk to him, yet I cannot feel anything for him.”
“My partner doesn’t trust me and asks me to do a few things that are impossible to do to make this relationship work. He wants me to cut off. No male friends. What do I do?”
“I didn’t like a senior madam comment. When I said I was suffering from severe PMS or perimenopause syndrome, I consulted a doctor. Her comment about my husband, my relationship, and her anticipation made me uncomfortable.”
Resolutions:
The AskSHEROES Helpline guided the concerned users on making informed choices, setting boundaries, maintaining healthy communication, finding ways to move on, and understanding how to draw healthy boundaries in relationships. The Helpline guided the users to join the LSR (Love, Sex and Relationship) community on SHEROES to stay motivated and learn how to fight their battles more confidently.
“For the 25M+ strong tribe of incredible women, feeling seen, heard, and, most importantly, feel safe online and offline is essential.”
Celebrating the profound impact of the AskSHEROES Helpline
Beyond queries and resolutions, below are some of the best moments captured on the AskSHEROES chat feed — stories of resilience, triumph, and shared humanity. Real user reviews illuminate the profound connections and positive changes AskSHEROES Helpline fosters, showcasing its invaluable impact on women seeking guidance and support.
AskSHEROES Helpline — A lifeline addressing everything from blues to battles
While the AskSHEROES Helpline supports members via counseling, SHEROES has cultivated a network of lawyers, financial experts, and other specialists who offer additional support when a member has a specific need, such as legal or career advice.
For example, the Legal Rights Community in the SHEROES app regularly conducts an Ask Me Anything live session every Friday on various topics, helping users become savvy about the law and making them more informed. Also, with regular workshops and sessions in areas like upskilling, parenting, financial skills, and career restart, including mental health, members access various opportunities and resources on the platform to #TakeCharge of their physical and emotional well-being.
Note: Based on conversations, the SHEROES app has curated several live sessions to support women in upskilling, understanding legal rights and expanding their knowledge base from time to time.
Grateful for the transformative year that was, we salute the strength and courage of women who found solace in AskSHEROES Helpline. In the spirit of sisterhood, we look forward to the untold stories, victories, and milestones the coming year holds. Together, let’s embark on this journey, fueled by the spirit of guidance and the knowledge that we stand united no matter the challenges, ready to #TakeCharge! 🌟🙋🏻
Ready to experience the support firsthand? Accessing the AskSHEROES Helpline is simple:
Download the SHEROES app and create your profile.
Click on the RHS navigation to access the Helpline.
Chat with a counselor!
See you on the app!
SHEROES, the women-only social network is a safe, constructive, high-empathy, high-trust online ecosystem for women to engage and chase dreams. It offers communities, a chat-based counsellng helpline, champions, resources, opportunities, credit opportunities, a reproductive health tracker and a social commerce marketplace. It is accessible via Sheroes.com and the SHEROES app
