[MUSIC PLAYING] ANNA MCGOVERN: So our challenge is posed by the Mayor's Office, City of New York. They have a department under the office to combat domestic violence. How might we create a mobile app that will provide resources and tools to victims of abuse, both domestic violence and sexual assault, while protecting their privacy? 

JAYNA PATEL: I really want to make some sort of [? difference, ?] no matter how big or how small. And this was one of the challenges that allows us that opportunity. 

HANNAH PENNINGTON: What really strikes me about this team is their willingness to dig in on this issue that actually not all of them knew a lot about and their real commitment to becoming more expert in it. They were the ones that came up with the idea to go on very specific tours of the family justice centers. 

ANNA MCGOVERN: The main thing that we learned from our caseworker interviews was that there was kind of a link missing. There's people that have the courage to walk into one of these centers, but then there's all the other victims out there that don't understand what the centers can offer them and what resources are available. And we needed to find a way to kind of bridge that gap virtually. 

HANNAH PENNINGTON: This is a sensitive area. And so there are certain steps that we need to take to make sure that we do it as carefully as possible. 

RENKAI XIANG: On a mobile application, you have some issue with privacy and security. So we turn to a web application. A web app will be much safer than the native app. 

ANNA MCGOVERN: The goal for us for this program, I guess, is really to prove out that this is possible and to consider all of these little things and do the research that really gets us to a product that would make the most impact. 

--she realizes that there are families out there going through the same thing that she is. 

HANNAH PENNINGTON: This work is real and concrete and I think will be used-- how, I don't know exactly-- but it will certainly be a really, really worthwhile project. 

ANNA MCGOVERN: The Mayor's Office is really excited about the work that we're doing. And we've actually been invited to present at their office to the Commissioner for the Office to Combat Domestic Violence, as well as the DA's office and the NYPD. So for us, I feel like just being invited to speak to those esteemed officials is validation in itself.