The role of technology in intimate partner violence

As the internet, smartphones, apps, and social media have become embedded in people's daily lives, technology-facilitated violence has become an integral component of intimate partner violence. Technology-facilitated violence might include high-tech methods, such as the installation of spyware or other forms of tracking equipment, and low-tech solutions and use of everyday technology, such as constant texting and repeated phone calls. This study does not focus only on the negative aspects of technology, but also on the opportunities that technological tools and platforms provide for victims seeking help.

The aim of the study is to investigate how technology-facilitated violence manifests in the lives of women who have been subjected to intimate partner violence, as well as the everyday consequences of technology both during the abuse relationship and following its termination.

The study is based on qualitative interviews with women who have been subjected to violence in an intimate relationship, as well as professionals working for specialist support services for victims of violence. Through a dual perspective on victim-survivors and professionals, the project examines how technology shapes both violence itself and help-seeking. The project also examines how professionals assess and provide support to people exposed to technology-facilitated violence, as well as the potential challenges and obstacles that they might encounter in their work. The project focuses not only on the negative aspects of technology but also on the ways in which technological tools and platforms can facilitate help-seeking. Digital platforms, for example, play an important role in increasing awareness of violence and improving access to information about support services and helplines.

Project start: January 2024

Funding: starting grant from Forte and NCK