Sinister side of tech used in domestic violence cases
Technological abuse is on the rise in Australia, with domestic violence perpetrators using mobile phones, smart watches and AirTags to track victims.
Police are seeing growing instances of perpetrators placing trackers on cars, hacking Apple identities and tracking phones via location services.
Tech is becoming a key means of coercive control, a form of abuse where perpetrators display a pattern of manipulative behaviour designed to intimidate and isolate victims.
Pip Rae was gifted an Apple Watch from her now ex-partner. She didn't know he had connected the device to his own phone and was tracking her location.
"In the digital space there are so many ways to abuse it, but it's really difficult to prove," she told AAP.
"I was dealing with someone who knew how to manipulate the technology."
Terry* experienced similar frustrations trying to prove her ex-partner was tracking her with technology and it took her months to work out he hacked her Apple ID.
"For many months my phone was compromised and assisted them to find me a lot easier. It made their stalking behaviours easier," she said.
"It's very frustrating when you don't feel like you're being heard (by police) and the perpetrator is very skilled at technology and you're not.
"Tech abuse happens, it will continue to happen and it is wrong."
Amanda* never thought she would experience family violence and found it difficult to identify because it wasn't physical.
When trying to leave a coercive relationship she received a barrage of abusive messages and the perpetrator would constantly show up at places she visited.
"Having an experience like this made me realise it can happen to anyone. It doesn't discriminate" she said.
"Technology can be weaponised so easily and it just takes one person with an unhealthy intention."
Domestic and Family Violence Awareness month is marked each May, an opportunity to raise community awareness of the impacts of violence and the support available to those affected.
Australians are being asked to "answer the call" and donate mobile phones to a service that repair, repurpose and gift safe phones to survivors of domestic violence.
DV Safe Phone, established in 2020, has provided 12,000 phones to domestic violence victims.
There are more than 1000 collection points across Australia and a map on its website shows where phones can be dropped off.
"So many people become so isolated with coercive control," founder Ashton Wood said.
"The more we talk about what help is available, the more confidence we can give to victim-survivors to reach out for that help."
Mr Wood urged people to check their drawers for old phones, as well as encouraging corporate officers to donate old work phones.
Research by the eSafety Commissioner found almost a quarter of Australians believed it was reasonable to expect to have a partner's device codes.
More than one in 10 thought it was reasonable to expect to track a partner using location-sharing apps.
"Unfortunately every time there is an enhancement in technology, people will find a way to weaponise it," Mr Wood said.
"The only way to not be tracked is to use a device the perpetrator doesn't know about."
* Names have been changed to protect privacy.
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