From Awareness to Action: Supporting Survivors of Technology-Facilitated Abuse
Technology is now a common tool in domestic abuse. Abusers use phones, tracking apps, hidden cameras and even smart home devices to watch, follow and control their partners. We spoke with survivors and the frontline workers who support them in Cork and Dublin. The most common problem was tracking and surveillance, which left survivors feeling constantly watched, even when they couldn’t prove it was happening. Support workers told us they want to help but often lack the technical know-how, and there is very little practical guidance available. To close that gap, we created a workshop that brings together clear, simple advice on privacy, spotting spyware and staying safe online. We ran it at two 16 Days of Activism events, where participants rated it 4.77 out of 5 and asked for more training. Our aim is to move from awareness to action: giving survivors and the people who support them the knowledge and confidence to take back control of their technology and their safety.