English version
“In the subtle, conscious or unconscious battle
we are all fighting against the forces of death and destruction,
we are not only victims, we are also warriors of love”,
inspired by a quote from Audre Lorde
2025 was one of the most challenging years in Vita Activa’s history. Political instability and funding cuts in the United States led to the loss of a significant portion of our budget, forcing difficult decisions to sustain our feminist helpline and protect the communities that rely on us. Despite losing staff, facing delays in critical funding, and drawing on our savings to remain operational, we continued to provide care and support.
Throughout the year, we strengthened our governance, welcomed new advisors, expanded our team and language capacities, and launched MDRnet.org to support journalists and newsroom leaders serving underserved communities across the United States.
At the same time, we confronted the unintended consequences of unaccountable technologies when chatbot systems began referring people experiencing suicidal ideation to our helpline without our consent or capacity to respond appropriately. The resulting surge in cases tested our systems, our boundaries, and our model of care. In response, we took action to stop these referrals, strengthened our policies, and focused on rebuilding trust with our community.
This year reminded us that care must be sustainable, that technology must be accountable, and that feminist approaches to support require both compassion and clear limits. Through crisis, adaptation, and collective resilience, we remain committed to accompanying journalists, activists, defenders, women, and LGBTIQ+ people facing online violence, stress, exhaustion, and anxiety.
