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Digital Technologies and Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Analysis with Multiple Stakeholders

Authors:

Jackeline Palmer,

Diana Elizabeth Minchala,

Thomas Ristenpart, and

Nicola DellAuthors Info & Claims

Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction, Volume 1, Issue CSCW

Article No.: 46, Pages 1 - 22

https://doi.org/10.1145/3134681

Published: 06 December 2017 Publication History

Abstract

Digital technologies, including mobile devices, cloud computing services, and social networks, play a nuanced role in intimate partner violence (IPV) settings, including domestic abuse, stalking, and surveillance of victims by abusive partners. However, the interactions among victims of IPV, abusers, law enforcement, counselors, and others --- and the roles that digital technologies play in these interactions --- are poorly understood. We present a qualitative study that analyzes the role of digital technologies in the IPV ecosystem in New York City. Findings from semi-structured interviews with 40 IPV professionals and nine focus groups with 32 survivors of IPV reveal a complex set of socio-technical challenges that stem from the intimate nature of the relationships involved and the complexities of managing shared social circles. Both IPV professionals and survivors feel that they do not possess adequate expertise to be able to identify or cope with technology-enabled IPV, and there are currently insufficient best practices to help them deal with abuse via technology. We also reveal a number of tensions and trade-offs in negotiating technology's role in social support and legal procedures. Taken together, our findings contribute a nuanced understanding of technology's role in the IPV ecosystem and yield recommendations for HCI and technology experts interested in aiding victims of abuse.

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Index Terms

Digital Technologies and Intimate Partner Violence: A Qualitative Analysis with Multiple Stakeholders
1. Security and privacy
  1. Human and societal aspects of security and privacy
    1. Social aspects of security and privacy

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cover image Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction

Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction Volume 1, Issue CSCW

November 2017

2095 pages

EISSN:2573-0142

DOI:10.1145/3171581

Editors:
Clifford Lampe
University of Michigan
,
Jeff Nichols
Google
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Karrie Karahalios
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
,
Geraldine Fitzpatrick
Vienna University of Technology
,
Uichin Lee
KAIST
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Andres Monroy-Hernandez
Snap Inc.
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Wolfgang Stuerzlinger
Simon Fraser University

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Publication History

Published: 06 December 2017

Published in PACMHCI Volume 1, Issue CSCW

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Brown AHarkin DTanczer L(2024)Safeguarding the “Internet of Things” for Victim-Survivors of Domestic and Family Violence: Anticipating Exploitative Use and Encouraging Safety-by-DesignViolence Against Women10.1177/10778012231222486Online publication date: 2-Jan-2024
https://doi.org/10.1177/10778012231222486
Marsh ALerner A(2024)Privacy Norms of Transformative Fandom: A Case Study of an Activity-Defined CommunityProceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction10.1145/36373888:CSCW1(1-29)Online publication date: 26-Apr-2024
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Gupta NDas SWalsh KChatterjee R(2024)A Critical Analysis of the Prevalence of Technology-Facilitated Abuse in US College StudentsExtended Abstracts of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems10.1145/3613905.3652036(1-12)Online publication date: 11-May-2024
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