Technology is being used to help survivors by connecting them with resources, services and supports. (Shutterstock).
The Conversation: How technology can help victims of intimate partner violence
As reported in The Conversation and written by Kendra Nixon, Professor, Faculty of Social Work & Director, RESOLVE (Research and Education for Solutions to Violence and Abuse), University of Manitoba and Ashley Haller, Research Technician at RESOLVE (Research and Education for Solutions to Violence and Abuse), University of Manitoba:
Intimate partner violence is a major public health concern. According to Statistics Canada, in 2018, 44 per cent of women experienced some form of intimate partner violence in their lifetime. Rates of intimate partner violence are not only alarmingly high, but steadily increasing. In 2022, there were 117,093 victims of police-reported intimate partner violence in Canada. This marked a 19 per cent increase since 2014.
Violence in intimate relationships can take many forms, including physical, sexual, emotional or financial abuse and coercive control. And intimate partner violence increases during emergencies such as pandemics, natural disasters and even economic downturns.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, federal consultations with provinces and territories found that intimate partner violence rose by 20 to 30 per cent in certain regions of Canada. Rising rates of intimate partner violence worldwide at this time were labelled as “the shadow pandemic” by the United Nations.