Deakin University
Browse

File(s) under permanent embargo

The Nature, Patterns and Consequences of Technology-Facilitated Domestic Abuse: A Scoping Review

journal contribution
posted on 2021-01-01, 00:00 authored by Rojan Afrouz
Women are increasingly at risk of gender-based violence through technology and digital tools. Some digital devices and apps such as GPS location tracking, spyware, mobile phones and social media platforms have become new tools for perpetrators to monitor, harass and abuse victims. However, the nature and impacts of technology on intimate partner violence (IPV) have remained perplexing and ambiguous. Hence, this scoping review was conducted to explore the nature, patterns and consequences of technology-facilitated domestic abuse (TFDA). All journal articles and grey literature exploring the TFDA phenomenon, its nature and impacts on victims and services providers were scanned, and twenty-two papers were included in this scoping review. Overall, findings showed that digital devices, online applications and social media accounts facilitated IPV and exacerbated the consequences of abuse. Yet, many victims and frontline workers found understanding the nature and impacts of TFDA difficult. They faced many challenges addressing this form of abuse. Thus, several strategies are needed to adequately tackle TFDA, including conducting further research on the issue, developing appropriate policy and addressing gender inequality in the online environment.

History

Journal

Trauma, Violence, and Abuse

Article number

15248380211046752

Pagination

1 - 15

Publisher

Sage

Location

London, Eng.

ISSN

1524-8380

eISSN

1552-8324

Language

English

Publication classification

C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal