One of the key indicators of domestic abuse is control. Abusive partners often exert control by monitoring finances, limiting social circles, and checking mobile phones.
But a new scheme by domestic abuse charity SafeLives and Vodafone UK will seek to help women at risk of violence and other abuse break the cycle of control by offering them free smartphones.
The idea is that the phones, which will come pre-loaded with credit, serve as a lifeline for people in abusive relationships to maintain secret contact with family or close friends from whom they may have been cut off. As part of the Lifeline scheme, specialist domestic abuse workers will be able to hand out phones to victims who have had their phones either taken away, monitored or tracked by their abusers.
Advances in technology mean more advanced ways for abusers to exert control, with social media activity scrutinised, and GPS tracking frequently used by abusers to track their partners' every move. But this programme reflects how technology can also be used as a tool for those in need.
All phones distributed via the Lifeline scheme will come pre-loaded with the Bright Sky app, a free app that lets users assess how safe their situation is and provides a UK-wide directory of specialist support services.
"Domestic abuse can often make people feel isolated and alone; we are determined at SafeLives to find ways to use technology to overcome this," said Suzanne Jacob OBE, Chief Executive of SafeLives.
Risk assessment
Of course the scheme doesn't come without risk; it may be too dangerous for women living with violent partners to conceal a mobile device, as the consequences if it were found could be life-threatening. But an individual assessment would be made by professionals in conjunction with victims, and for those who are able to take part in the scheme, it could serve as a pro-active way to give them a potential way out of their unhealthy relationships.
"Too often we hear about the risks and dangers rather than thinking about creatively about how to use technology to support survivors - to reach out to other people with similar experiences and to find information quickly and safely. It is fantastic to see companies such as Vodafone using its technological expertise to support survivors of domestic abuse, it is an epidemic that affects every community in the country and we need companies to step up to the challenge," said Jacob.
Research carried out by Cosmopolitan.com/uk in partnership with Women's Aid last year revealed that more than a third of women (34.5%) have experienced an abusive relationship. It's important to remember that abuse doesn't just take the form of physical violence; it can encompass emotional abuse, economic abuse, and coercive control.
To read more on the signs of an unhealthy relationship, click here.
For more information and support about domestic abuse, visit Women's Aid's website or call the Freephone 24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline, run by Women’s Aid in partnership with Refuge, on 0808 2000 247.
Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs. news, features and health. The route to her heart is a simple combination of pasta and cheese (somewhat ironic considering the whole health writing thing), and she finds it difficult to commit to TV series so currently has about 14 different ones on the go.
