Refuge empowers charities to tackle tech abuse through specialist training
UK’s largest domestic abuse charity completes two-year programme to equip frontline charities with tech abuse expertise.
Refuge has completed a two-year training programme, providing five frontline charities with the skills needed to mitigate the risks of technology-facilitated domestic abuse.
The groundbreaking Tech Partnership Project allowed Refuge to share its expertise in tech-facilitated abuse with around 45 by-and-for charities including SignHealth, Stay Safe East, Blind Aid, Karma Nirvana, and Galop, all of which play a vital role in supporting marginalised communities. These organisations often work with survivors who may experience unique forms of tech abuse or face additional barriers when accessing help.
Originally established to train 500 professionals, the project exceeded expectations by delivering 103 sessions to 712 participants, enhancing the ability of specialist services to identify and respond to tech abuse more effectively.
Tech-facilitated abuse – such as non-consensual intimate image sharing, harassment and surveillance via digital devices – is now experienced by nearly all survivors Refuge supports. In response to rising demand, Refuge launched the UK’s only specialist technology-facilitated abuse and economic empowerment service in 2017.
For survivors from marginalised groups, the risks of tech abuse are often compounded. For example, disabled survivors may face heightened levels of coercion, the exploitation of their disability, and deeper isolation – factors which perpetrators can use to exert control.
This project has helped close that gap by embedding tailored tech-abuse training within organisations that immediately understand the needs of their communities.
Alongside the training programme, Refuge has redesigned its own tech safety website with a focus on improving inclusivity for marginalised survivors. This included adding BSL translations onto all main pages and ensuring all features can accessible via keyboard tabbing and screen readers.
Emma Pickering, Head of Tech-Facilitated Abuse at Refuge, said:
“Being equipped with the skills to recognise and respond to tech-facilitated abuse is vital for anyone working with survivors. The partnership provided us with a unique opportunity not only to share our expertise, but also to better understand the barriers marginalised survivors may face. Through this collaboration, we’ve been able to redevelop Refuge’s tech safety website to ensure it is inclusive of all survivors.”
Marie Vickers, Head of Domestic Abuse Service at SignHealth, said:
“Deaf women are at twice the risk of being abused and inaccessible support services can leave these survivors feeling as though they have nowhere to turn. The partnership has been vital in breaking down these barriers – for example, by adding BSL translations onto Refuge’s tech safety website – and ensuring deaf survivors can access the information they need to stay safe online.”
Bridget Symonds, Interim Director of Services at Galop, said:
“With the rise in tech-facilitated abuse, it’s crucial that support services are equipped to meet the demand. Harmful stereotypes and misconceptions about LGBT+ experiences of domestic abuse can create barriers to LGBT+ survivors accessing support and hamper services’ ability to respond to our community’s needs.
“The partnership has been great for collaborating, sharing expertise and fostering a mutually respectful relationship. Both Galop’s team and the Refuge Tech Abuse team have delivered specialist training to each other – upskilling staff across both organisations for the benefit of LGBT+ survivors. Thanks to the partnership, our specialist advocates have a deepened awareness of the future of tech abuse and our insights on LGBT+ experiences of tech abuse were shared with the Refuge tech team.”
Karma Nirvana and Galop also supported Refuge’s first annual Tech Safety Summit last year, contributing to panels and sessions that highlighted the experiences of marginalised survivors.
Refuge is set to host its second Tech Safety Summit this September – a virtual conference dedicated to tackling tech-facilitated and economic abuse. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural summit, which featured panellists including Ofcom CEO Melanie Dawes, Domestic Abuse Commissioner Dame Nicole Jacobs and Refuge ambassador Sharon Gaffka, this year’s event will bring together experts, policymakers and advocates from across the technology, banking, and the criminal justice sectors.
This year’s summit will also include the newly launched Tech Safety Awards, which will be presented to celebrate the organisations and changemakers leading the fight against tech-facilitated abuse.
