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Dr Bridget Harris<\/em><\/p>\n A study is under way to investigate how \u2018smart\u2019 devices may be helping to facilitate domestic abuse in Australia and the United Kingdom.<\/strong><\/p>\n A team from The University of Queensland, Queensland University of Technology and University College London is examining how domestic and sexual violence survivors are being impacted by Internet of Things (IoT) technology, which enables everyday devices to collect, send and receive data.<\/p>\n UQ Law School\u2019s Professor Heather Douglas<\/a> said lawyers, health and social workers and counsellors were being urged to share their insights via a survey.\u00a0 \u201cThe interconnection of everyday devices via the Internet \u2013 including \u2018smart\u2019 objects such as TVs, fitness trackers and smartphones \u2013 is helpful, but in the wrong hands these devices can pose serious security and privacy risks,\u201d Professor Douglas said.<\/p>\n \u201cAn example that I\u2019ve come across is a perpetrator remotely altering the position of a security camera so they can watch a victim-survivor.<\/p>\n \u201cThe IoT can also aid perpetrators with monitoring victim-survivors through appliances and systems in residences. QUT Centre of Justice member Dr Bridget Harris<\/a> said domestic violence perpetrators often used technology to coerce, control and entrap. \u00a0 \u201cThis can have serious impacts on the wellbeing and safety of victim-survivors,\u201d Dr Harris said. A 2019 study<\/a> with 65 Australian women who had experienced domestic violence found 85 per cent had been subjected to technology-facilitated abuse, Professor Douglas said.<\/p>\n \u201cAs more people get smartphones and use smart home technology, instances of this form of abuse are likely to increase,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Professor Douglas said the survey would extend previous research to compare how Australian and UK domestic violence service providers are responding to this relatively new form of abuse.<\/p>\n \u201cWe hope our findings will contribute to policy and legal reform to improve the privacy and safety of survivors of domestic and sexual violence,\u201d Professor Douglas said.<\/p>\n \u201cOur goal is to help prevent and reduce technology-facilitated abuse and provide a framework for professionals to best help survivors.<\/p>\n \u201cIdeally, the results will also encourage IoT developers to think about how to stop perpetrators of abuse from exploiting their technology.\u201d<\/p>\n The survey is led by Dr Leonie Tanczer<\/a> from the Gender and IoT research team<\/a> at University College London\u2019s Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy, in collaboration with Professor Douglas and Dr Harris.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cThe risks of IoT technology are ever-changing, and technology-facilitated abuse is evolving with it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\n\u201cTo protect and empower those subjected to abuse, we need to urgently explore and enhance knowledge in this area.\u201d<\/p>\n