Domestic violence (DV) is a serious public health and social problem worldwide. In addition to human suffering, it creates a substantial economic burden on societies. Yet, DV is insufficiently addressed by the Finnish welfare service system. It often remains unidentified, and appropriate interventions are scarce. Thus, new solutions, such as artificial intelligence-based chatbots, have been developed to assist victim-survivors. Research indicates that these automated conversational agents could broaden the possibilities for providing support and information to victim-survivors by enabling immediate and always-available service interactions and simulating human conversation. However, the conversational interaction between a human and a machine raises ethical considerations: the chatbot’s automated system and the victim-survivor's vulnerable circumstances meet at the intersection of the human need for practical help and the inherent risks of digital communication, including technology-facilitated abuse by perpetrators. The data consist of semi-structured interviews with both victim-survivors and DV professionals, conducted in 2023 for the Innovative Solutions to Eliminate Domestic Violence (ISEDA) Horizon Europe project. The study explores interviewees’ perceptions of the challenges related to seeking help for DV and the perceived benefits and risks regarding the use of chatbots in providing support and assistance to victim-survivors. The study utilises qualitative content analysis and ethical reflection in the analysis of the empirical data. The findings emphasise a loss of trust in the authorities and the inability of the welfare service system to provide safety for DV victim-survivors and their children. Nor did the automated conversational agents appear to offer a solution in terms of safety. Nonetheless, as fast and anonymous communication channels, chatbots may increase awareness of DV and provide victim-survivors with an opportunity to make an initial outreach for help. However, the data suggest that addressing DV requires human professionals. Therefore, it is important to further develop service practices that strengthen victim-survivors’ trust in the willingness and ability of authorities to respond to DV. This requires professionals who are familiar with DV and understand the phenomenon. In addition, the study sheds light on areas that social and healthcare educators would benefit from addressing. It also highlights the potential of digital applications to help professionals identify violence and provide information and guidance to those experiencing it.