A rise in smartphone use is making it easier for perpetrators of coercive control to abuse victims through digital technology.
New figures from the NSW Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research (BOCSAR) have revealed 224 incidents of coercive control have been recorded in the last financial year. Sixty per cent of which involved harassment, monitoring and tracking.
“Smartphone use has skyrocketed in the past ten years and so has the incidence of domestic violence involving digital technology,” said Anna Baltins, the Director Domestic and Family Violence at Legal Aid NSW.
The organisation has seen an alarming increase of almost 8,000 women in NSW seeking support over the last financial year.
“Technology-facilitated coercive control is becoming increasingly common and it’s vital that people recognise the signs of it,” said Baltins, noting that this abuse “can involve victims being forced to hand over their phone or to give the perpetrator access to their calls, messages, emails, social media pages and bank accounts.”
“This non-physical abuse is insidious. It can hide in plain sight and can lead to or reinforce physical violence.”
Other incidents the organisations see include debts being incurred in the victim’s name, victims being tracked through banking apps, toll accounts and GPS trackers in their cars, phones or even kids’ phones, Baltin says.
“We are also seeing other coercive behaviours that involve victims being isolated from family and friends, stopped from getting jobs, and being told what to wear and where they can go.”
One woman, Rada*, sought help from the Domestic Violence Unit after Jon* started to monitor her phone. He checked her emails and texts, as well as installed security cameras inside the house and monitored her transport care statements to track her movement.
Rada* wasn’t allowed a bank account or access to their joint accounts, which Jon* had full control over. He even threatened to harm Rada’s* family overseas if she reported the situation to the police or talked to anyone about his abuse.
Following police involvement, an ADVO was applied to protect Rada*, but the abuse she experienced is unfortunately not uncommon for women. In the past two years there has been a 69 per cent increase in the number of women seeking legal advice from the Legal Aid NSW’s Domestic Violence Unit. In the past ten years, this figure increased 700 per cent.
The DVU includes a highly specialised team of lawyers, mental health professionals, case workers and financial counsellors. So far, this year the organisation has provided about 3,000 legal advice services, which is the highest number in five years.
“The legal system can be very daunting for victim-survivors,” said Minister for the Prevention of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Jodie Harrison.
“The Domestic Violence Unit, working with the Women’s Domestic Violence Court Advocacy Service, helps them navigate the process and makes sure their interests are advocated for and protected,” she said, adding that last year, coercive control became a criminal offence.
“The support the Domestic Violence Unit provides to victim-survivors in recognising financial abuse and tech-facilitated coercive control, as well as recovering money for them, allows them to reclaim their lives and live free from violence and abuse.”
*Pseudonyms have been used to protect the client’s identity
Legal Aid NSW is the main provider of domestic violence legal representation services in NSW. For free legal support, call its Domestic Violence Unit on 1800 979 529.
If you or someone you know is experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, domestic, family or sexual violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732, text 0458 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au for online chat and video call services.
If you are concerned about your behaviour or use of violence, you can contact the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491 or visit http://www.ntv.org.au.