TECHNOLOGY IS NOT THE CAUSE OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, STALKING, BUT IT IS A TOOL.

13 March 2017.  Speaker: Cindy Southworth, MSM, Executive Vice President, National Network to End Domestic Violence, Washington, DC.

By Nazgul Asangojoeva-Baekova

Julie Oberin (AWAVA Chair) and Cindy Southworth (NNEDV)

   Cindy Southworth underlined that the value of her organization is not to harm. They want more tech-happy survivors and tech-happy women. One thing that she is adamant about is that survivors should not be told to simply ignore technology and assume that this is the only way to be safe and protected from it. It is simply not acceptable in this digital age, and it impacts women`s ability to have a job when so much of the world is digitally and technologically focused.

Removing yourself from technology is essentially removing yourself from the job market.

Also, a serious issue with technology is victim blaming of the digital age. If you are telling women that if they are not present on social media, then perhaps they would not be threatened to be raped; you are sending the wrong message of technology abuse - it is the same victim-blaming behavior in reality.

In the US people use a sort of “power and control”- a new term of what causes violence against women. It is all about people choosing the power of control over another. Southworth noted that technology is not the cause of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, but it is a tool that can be a part of it. It is the same tool that 30 years ago abusers used to look at your speedometer in a car and see if a victim had left the house during the day, they could check if the numbers changed. Now abusers can put devices on a car with the same purpose to control and follow, only with a different contemporary tool.

Today, technology abuse has the potential to impact survivors with far more of a lasting impact. Historically 30 years ago abusers used to tell victims, “I am going to take photos and then share those photos with your family and your loved ones.” Today, if somebody puts pictures on the Internet, they can be there forever, even accessible 60 years from when they are first posted.

Technology is a tool, it offers many great opportunities but can also increase the severity of the trauma. Likewise, survivors can use technology strategically to enhance and maintain their safety. In many instances of violence against women, perpetrators will successfully isolate victims from family, friends, and her support; and when this happens technology can be a solution to reconnect a survivor with her family.

Regarding this CSW, Southworth believes that when abusers misuse technology, it can be an incredible economic barrier to women.