Welcome to Part 2 of our February 2026 Inspirational Interview with Caroline Markel, Founder of Safe In Harm’s Way, a U.S.-based global nonprofit advancing trauma-informed, technology-enabled solutions for people impacted by violence and coercive control. A five-time Amazon #1 bestselling author, international speaker, and advocate, she has reached hundreds of thousands across six countries through campaigns, media, and partnerships. Her work focuses on practical access to safety, empowering everyday allies, and building collaborative systems that protect dignity, privacy, and choice.
In this part of the interview, she talks about her organisation’s future plans and shares her thoughts on how we can end violence against women for good.
Part 1 of Caroline’s interview was published 1 February, 2026.
All photos are courtesy of Safe in Harm’s Way.
6. What advice would you give to activists and advocates in other countries who are keen to try a similar approach to helping domestic violence victims in their part of the world?
Start by listening before building. Ground your work in the lived realities, cultural norms, and legal frameworks of your community. Invest in trauma-informed training, digital safety, and localised solutions rather than one-size-fits-all models. Build trust slowly, protect privacy fiercely, and collaborate across borders to adapt what works. Sustainable impact comes from pairing compassion with structure and from designing systems that survivors can access safely, on their own terms, when they need them most.
7. One of the keys to eradicating violence against women (VAW) is to get men and boys on board efforts to do so. What do you think are the most effective ways of galvanising men and boys to help to end VAW?
The most effective way to engage men and boys is to invite them in as allies, not indict them as adversaries. Education must focus on healthy relationships, emotional literacy, and accountability—starting early and reinforced often. When men see themselves as protectors of safety, dignity, and equity, participation rises. Real change happens when men are equipped with tools, language, and permission to challenge harmful norms and model respect in everyday life.
8. Tell us about SIHW’s plans for the future. What campaigns, programmes, or projects do you have coming up in the next 5 years?
A key focus of our future work centres on empowering friends, family members, and coworkers—the people survivors often turn to first. Through new training tools and campaigns, we’re equipping everyday allies with simple, trauma-informed guidance so they don’t have to know everything—just the next best step. By reducing fear and confusion around “what to say or do,” we help communities become safer, more responsive first lines of support.
9. How can The Pixel Project’s supporters engage with and support the efforts of SIHW to stop VAW?
Supporters can engage with Safe In Harm’s Way by exploring our website, using and sharing our digital safety tools, and subscribing to our YouTube channel for education and ally guidance.
Beyond that, they can amplify our campaigns, participate in training, wear and share mission-driven merchandise, and advocate within their workplaces and communities. Every action—learning, sharing, or funding—helps turn awareness into access and protection.
10. In your considered opinion, how can we end VAW for good?
Ending VAW requires us to stop working in silos and start building systems together. No single organisation, country, or community can solve this alone. We end VAW by centring survivors, investing in trauma-informed prevention, engaging men and boys as allies, and replacing competition with collaboration. When advocates align around shared safety, dignity, and access—rather than ego or territory—lasting change becomes not only possible, but inevitable.
