Tackling Domestic Abuse in the Digital Realm

Gen Blog | Corporate Responsibility

By Kim Allman Head of Corporate Responsibility and Government Affairs

The tactics of intimate partner violence and domestic abuse are rapidly changing as we spend more and more time online. Technology abuse — particularly the use of software like stalkerware to track domestic partners or monitor their online behavior — is an often overlooked part of domestic violence.

There is a critical need to ensure survivors and advocates understand tech-facilitated abuse and its impact, and how to identify it.

In 2022, Norton, one of Gen’s trusted Cyber Safety brands, expanded its long-term partnership with The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) to address this need. NNEDV offers programs and initiatives that address the complex causes and far-reaching consequences of domestic violence. It also offers information and resources to victims of domestic violence — and empowers survivors as they build new lives.

We pledged a $100,000 grant for 2022, 2023 and 2024 to support NNEDV’s important initiatives and create new Cyber Safety resources. I’m proud to announce that together we have made great progress over the last year and I’m excited to share our first joint resource.

New Resource Helps Survivors Increase Their Privacy and Security 

One of the partnership’s biggest outputs was the creation of Securing Devices and Accounts, a new privacy- and security-focused resource for survivors. The guide builds upon Norton and NNEDV’s previous work to increase knowledge about device and account security and privacy.

It addresses survivors’ concerns about common devices and accounts, including considerations for whether the abusive person may or may not have physical or remote access. The guide was created to increase survivors’ knowledge about and comfort with technology, empower them to increase their security and privacy, and help them make decisions based on their individual needs and circumstances. Based on average views of toolkits on TechSafety.org, we estimate that at least 30,000 individuals will access the guide annually.

Additional Efforts to End Intimate Partner Violence 

As part of its partnership with Norton, NNEDV also deepened its collaborative work between the Safety Net team and the Economic Justice team. The two teams are working together to create accessible resources to help advocates, survivors and the public better understand technology safety as it directly relates to financial security and financial abuse. NNEDV’s Economic Justice team works to address financial abuse and support survivors. One example is its Safety Net Team’s Independence Project—NNEDV’s credit-building micro-loan program.

In the coming months, our partnership with NNEDV’s Safety Net and Economic Justice teams will result in another resource, this one focused on the intersection of financial abuse and technology-facilitated abuse, to help survivors and victim service providers understand and navigate the privacy and security of their financial accounts. Additionally, with Norton’s support, NNEDV’s team continues to participate in advisory conversations with technology companies to minimize opportunities for abuse online and increase options for survivors to increase their privacy, security and overall safety.

Norton, as well as Avira and Avast, two more of Gen’s trusted consumer brands, are proud to be members of the Coalition Against Stalkerware, which was formed to help keep malicious technology, like Stalkerware, out of the hands of abusers.

We will continue to partner with NNEDV and the Coalition Against Stalkerware to help more victims and survivors, as well as advocates, get the resources they need to address domestic violence and feel safer. If you are interested in learning more, check out NNEDV’s upcoming 2023 Safety Net Technology Summit. Dr. Armin Wasicek, a security expert and senior researcher at Gen, will be speaking on a panel at the event. You can also review the Survivor Technology Safety Toolkit.

Gen™ is a global company dedicated to powering Digital Freedom with a family of trusted consumer brands including Norton, Avast, LifeLock, Avira, AVG, ReputationDefender and CCleaner.