Domestic Violence in the Digital Age: Understanding Technology-Facilitated Abuse

technology-facilitated abuse

What to Do If You Suspect Technology-Facilitated Abuse

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It is a time to recognize the devastating impact domestic violence has on individuals and families – and to remind survivors that help is available. But domestic violence does not always happen behind a closed door.

Increasingly, technology has become another tool used to intimidate, monitor, threaten, isolate, and control a partner. This behavior, known as technology-facilitated abuse, can involve phones, social media, GPS trackers, and connected devices. It is an emerging concern in domestic violence and deserves much more attention.

The Numbers Are Difficult to Ignore:

Domestic violence remains an enormous problem in the United States.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s most recent National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey, more than 1 in 3 women (34%) – nearly 43.5 million women – have experienced contact sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an intimate partner during their lifetime.… View Full Article → “Domestic Violence in the Digital Age: Understanding Technology-Facilitated Abuse”

Who Needs Cupid?

Valentine’s Day is the start of the busy season for Dayton divorce lawyers.  Many couples wait until after the holidays and it gives them time to file their taxes “jointly” and receive a larger refund.  It also can be a reckoning day when people decide that they deserve better.

While romance abounds with cupid’s magic for some, it also can be a difficult time for many divorced individuals who don’t have a valentine to share it with.

Here are some tips from Jennifer McCarron and Eugene Kayser, licensed family therapists from Abington, Pennsylvania:

Ignore the holiday

Think about Valentine’s Day like a holiday for a religion you do not celebrate.  Simply decide you are not participating in the activities typically associated with the day.

  • Do something special for yourself.
    Go to a spa, take a walk or try any other activity that nourishes you. Kayser said, “showing love and regard for yourself can make you feel stronger”.
… View Full Article → “Who Needs Cupid?”