Technology and Domestic Abuse - Where is the Line?

The South Eastern Domestic and Sexual Violence Partnership, Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland, North Down and Ards Women’s Aid, and Neep Pictures have produced an animation aimed at young people and adults called ‘Technology and Domestic Abuse – Where is the Line?’ The animation was co-produced with young people who have lived experience of domestic abuse.

This is the second in an animated series on domestic abuse. The first animation, “Coercive Control – Where is the Line?” is available in English, Arabic, Bulgarian and British Sign Language. These can be accessed here on YouTube.

The new animation recognises that the online world can be a force for good, but for people in controlling and abusive relationships, technology and devices can bring a pattern of constant communication and surveillance over their lives, making it feel like every aspect of their world is controlled and monitored. This is abusive and controlling behaviour.

This is an important education tool to help raise awareness about what is healthy behaviour, harmful behaviour and where to get help if the line has been crossed. It covers four key components and the script is included on the following page. The animation will be translated into other commonly used languages and British Sign Language.

Watch, use and share the animation widely. It can be accessed in full on YouTube here.

To promote to your followers on Twitter, simply copy and paste the following message, or Click To Tweet to automatically generate a tweet.  

Technology and domestic abuse – where is the line? This new animation explores how some abusive & controlling behaviours are enabled by tech & where to get support. #Whereistheline? #Tech&DomesticAbuse @SEDSVP @NDAWomensAid @safeguardingni @neeppictures  youtu.be/7Kmh5jtH_LgIt

Everyone deserves to feel safe online and offline, to have privacy, to have healthy boundaries, to feel in control and to have the freedom to make choices. If someone or something is making you feel uncomfortable or unsafe, even if you’re not sure, then it’s important to talk about it. If you think that any of these things seem familiar and you feel your relationship may have crossed the line then please talk to someone you trust or you may contact any of the following services.

Recently BSL was added and the animation transcribed in to Arabic, Polish and Romanian to increase its reach to others whose first language is not English.