Source: United States House of Representatives – Congresswoman Debbie Dingell (12th District of Michigan)
U.S. Representatives Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Zach Nunn (R-IA), along with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), today reintroduced bipartisan, bicameral legislation to help prevent domestic abusers from using technology to stalk, harass, or control survivors.
In today’s rapidly growing digital environment, technology-enabled abuse has taken many forms, including social media platforms, phone-based apps, and specialty spyware programs. Because of the diversity of platforms in today’s growing digital environment, it’s clear that abuse does not require huge financial resources or sophisticated understanding of technology, and survivors rarely have the tools they need to recognize and prevent abuse.
The Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Act would provide new grant funding to clinics and other partnerships focused on domestic violence and technology-enabled abuse prevention. It would also support new training that would give organizations the specialized services necessary to help survivors with a range of experiences.
“It’s critical that we recognize domestic abuse and sexual harassment often extend beyond physical violence,” Dingell said. “To fully protect survivors, we must keep up with the many ways that abusers can use technology to stalk, harass, control, or otherwise endanger their victims. This legislation will support specialized education and resources for advocates and victim service providers to recognize, prevent, and combat tech-enabled abuse.”
“In the Iowa statehouse, I led efforts to protect survivors from the growing threat of digital abuse. Now, we’re taking that work nationwide,” Nunn said. “This bill strengthens community-based networks that are on the frontlines, giving them the tools to recognize and address tech-enabled abuse and help victims secure their devices. Survivors deserve both safety and support, and this legislation delivers both.”
“As technology continues to evolve, so do the tactics of abusers who are grossly leveraging many different platforms to stalk, harass, and control survivors of domestic violence – from tracking them on social media to hacking into their email,” Wyden said. “Survivors deserve support and the tools to protect against abuse in any shape or form. More education, training, and health care clinics are needed.”
The legislation would take two steps in combating technology-enabled domestic abuse:
- It would authorize a pilot project run by the Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women to establish more tech-enabled abuse clinics. The program would provide $2 million grants for up to 15 clinics and other organizations that support survivors of sexual and domestic violence who are experiencing technology-enabled abuse.
- It would establish another grant program, which is also under the DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women, to ensure nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions develop and implement training and technical assistance for groups working to prevent tech-enabled abuse.
The Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault and Stalking Act is endorsed by National Domestic Violence Hotline, National Network to End Domestic Violence, Legal Momentum, Clinic to End Tech Abuse, EndTAB, New Beginnings, Natalie Dolci of the Technology-Enabled Coercive Control Initiative (endorsed in her personal capacity), Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Sexual Assault Support Services of Oregon, Center for Hope and Safety of Oregon, and the Oregon Attorney General’s Sexual Assault Task Force.
“Technology facilitated abuse is one of the fastest growing threats victims and survivors face today. The reintroduction of the Tech Safety for Victims of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Act is a vital step toward ensuring survivors have the expert support they need to stay safe in an increasingly digital world. We’re deeply grateful to Rep. Dingell, Rep. Nunn, and Senator Wyden for their leadership in advancing meaningful, survivor-centered solutions to this urgent issue,” said Marium Durrani, Vice President of Policy for the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
“Legal Momentum is proud to endorse the Tech Safety for Victims Act to help ensure that survivors of technology facilitated abuse receive the support and services they need and deserve. As technology makes it easier than ever to upend people’s lives, it’s crucial that survivors are protected not just in their homes and communities, but also in the digital spaces where abuse occurs more and more frequently. This legislation would provide critical resources to help survivors reclaim and rebuild their lives after the trauma of cyber abuse,” said Azaleea Carlea, Legal Director at Legal Momentum.
“People experiencing tech-enabled abuse often don’t know where to turn. Our clinic has helped hundreds of New Yorkers over the last few years, but survivors around the country urgently need assistance. This Act could expand access to similar support services and develop knowledge about evolving forms of tech-enabled abuse,” said Thomas E. Kadri, Legislative & Policy Director of the Clinic to End Tech Abuse.
“Programs that serve survivors of gender-based violence need additional support and technical assistance to keep up with increasingly pervasive tech abuse. Failure to provide this enhancement to victim services infrastructure will compromise the safety of survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and sexual assault,” said Natalie Dolci, of the Technology-Enabled Coercive Control Initiative (endorsed in her personal capacity).
“Technology can be weaponized to cause harm or by victims seeking safety. I have heard countless stories about various forms of tech being used to harass, stalk and control someone by abusive partners. This bill is needed to further address all forms of technology and the intersection with violence. It will provide anti-domestic violence organizations with needed funding to further develop Safety planning resources technology and be able to respond effectively to the ever changing tech landscape,” said Keri Moran-Kuhn, Executive Director of the Oregon Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence.