‘My partner stole my benefits and cancelled my appointments – it took me years to finally escape’
No online privacy, no surveillance at home, and no control over her money or medical appointments; This was the reality of life for a woman who suffered years of abuse from her partner through technology.
One of a growing number of disabled people leading charities Asylum Name who is facing the “devastating” impact of technology-facilitated domestic abuse.
Sarah, a wheelchair user in her forties whose name has been changed for safety reasons, relied on her then partner to take care of her ongoing medical needs, but was instead “brutally” abused.
“I had no privacy,” he said Independent. “He had access to all my accounts, my bank account, everything.
“The worst thing was when he canceled my hospital appointments, he would tell the hospital I was in a very bad condition, which wasn’t true, but he wouldn’t let me. Then I would have to wait months to be seen.”
He was monitoring her movements, calls, and interactions with others using her phone and smart devices at home. His access to media accounts, emails and online banking left him with no privacy.
She said her use of technology was endangering her health as it intercepted messages and emails from her GP and hospital via the NHS app, often canceling appointments without her consent and restricting her access to medication.
“She took control of my medications and told me I would forget to take them even though they were in a box with a date on them,” Sarah added.
“I now manage to take them without any problems. Then he kept telling me I was taking my pain meds – knowing full well I wasn’t. But he did it because he liked to see me in pain. He was cruel.”
Sarah was left financially strapped as her benefits and disability payments were also diverted into her abuser’s account. He had no money to pay for basic needs, including toiletries, and often had no food in the house.
“I was very embarrassed because I didn’t have enough food at home or even shampoo to wash my hair,” she said. “Then he would call me names and put me down.”
After enduring years of abuse, she reached out to Refuge and was assigned someone to support her. Sarah was able to call the helpline from a specific device that was linked to adult social care services. She later moved into assisted living, regained control of her finances and opened new secure accounts.
She said: “Thank God I got the courage to call for help, it took me so long I wish I had done it sooner. The support has been so incredible.”
Emma Pickering, head of the technology-facilitated exploitation and economic empowerment team at Refuge, said the current “epidemic” of violence against women and girls (VAWG) was increasingly mediated through technology.
His team saw a 205 percent increase in referrals in six years, which he says “represents just the tip of the iceberg.”
“This has a devastating impact on disabled survivors, who are uniquely affected by technology and economic exploitation, often with serious consequences for their mental health,” he said.
“By exploiting a survivor’s disability, perpetrators may have more opportunities to exert coercive control. Among other insidious behaviors, we have heard of perpetrators abusing their caregiver role by weaponizing technology.”
He said the team had seen examples of abusers accessing online banking platforms to steal survivors’ private funds and government benefits, to using medical technology such as health tracking apps for surveillance, and preventing survivors from attending medical appointments by taking control of NHS apps.
Economic exploitation is another major problem faced by disabled survivors; the team was frequently told about problems with joint bank accounts; such as survivors not being able to access a debit card, never being allowed to view bank statements, and in some cases having loans issued in their name.
He said: “For many disabled survivors, adaptive home technologies are a lifeline, but even these can be misused by abusers to take away this critical technology and further isolate and control the victim.”
Ms Pickering called on the government to ensure the upcoming VAWG strategy creates “a comprehensive framework for tackling technology abuse, with policy solutions shaped in consultation with survivors”.
A Home Office spokesman said: “Tackling VAWG in all its forms, including where it occurs online or is facilitated by technology, is a top priority for this government.
“The VAWG strategy will set out the strategic direction and concrete actions to achieve the government’s target of halving VAWG within ten years and will include measures to combat online and technology-facilitated VAWG.”
You can read Refuge’s full report on tech-enabled abuse Here.
The national domestic violence helpline offers support to women on 0808 2000 247 or visit: Asylum website. There is a special section men’s advice line From 0808 8010 327.
