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Disturbed by reports of rising domestic violence under the COVID lockdowns, a Polish high school student decided to launch a fake online shop to offer a lifeline to victims trapped in their homes, the BBC reported.
Krystyna Paszko, who was a 17-year-old Scout at the time, decided to launch the fake online shop “Camomiles and Pansies” to sell cosmetics. Her idea allows an abuse victim to hide requests for help from his or her abuser at home by appearing to be shopping online.
When a victim writes asking to buy a cream, a psychologist responds instead of a salesperson and asks how long the “skin problems” have been going on, or how the affected skin reacts to alcohol. If someone places an order and leaves an address, it is actually a code asking for authorities to visit their home, the BBC noted.
The idea earned Krystyna a $12,120 prize. More importantly, at least 350 people have contacted the website since its launch. Most of the victims are under 40, and about 10% are male.
The full story can be found at www.bbc.com.
