Domestic violence affects 1 in every 4 women in the United States. UN studies revealed the most dangerous place in the world for a woman is her home

In the US, the number one reason women don’t leave abusive homes is finances.

So, Santander Bank decided to act, by creating In Someone Else’s Shoes, a micro-lending and financial-literacy program designed to help women reclaim their financial freedom and have a path to a life free of domestic violence.

To raise awareness around the program, we built “The Home,” an immersive experience. Influenced by real survivor interviews, the house and the audio journey through it were designed to give the public a new perspective on what living in an abusive home is like.

An immersive experience was designed to spur empathy and understanding of what it feels like to be trapped in an abusive and violent home.

Although the house was located in one of the busiest spaces in NY, the experience was designed for visitors to move through it alone, with headsets and an audio guide blocking out surrounding noise. The audio guide was comprised of real stories from seven survivors, explaining how their story escalated over time and the role financial abuse played in making it difficult for them to leave.

Santander also partnered with two Domestic Violence non-profit organizations to create a financial literacy course and fund a micro-lending program to help remove the financial barriers most survivors face. These tools were made accessible through a micro-site designed for the program. This space provided additional information and education for those in need or who were interested.