Technological Innovations for Tackling Domestic Violence

Abstract

Domestic violence is an issue of great importance that exceeds socioeconomic backgrounds and cultural boundaries. It stems from factors such as power struggle, mental health issue, financial hardship, substance abuse, among others. Technology can play a vital role in not only detecting and mitigating instances of domestic violence, but also providing essential support and resources to its victims. This review paper examines the latest technological innovations for tackling domestic violence. It describes a range of technology platforms and tools, and discusses their capabilities and shortcomings. Firstly, the review methodology is given including the aims and objectives of the review, the search strategy, and the selection of sources. Next, the technological innovations in the context of domestic violence are defined. Then, the paper presents the technological approaches developed to tackle domestic violence through: (i) analysis of data shared through digital platforms, (ii) analysis of data captured by ambient sensors, (iii) analysis of data collected by smartphones, (iv) analysis of data obtained by wearable sensors, (v) protection of online activities, (vi) prevention of non-contact harassment, (vii) deployment of anti-stalking and anti-monitoring measures, and (viii) use of virtual reality techniques. Next, discussions on the capabilities and applications of these technological innovations across different aspects of domestic violence are presented. The paper also addresses the challenges and limitations associated with these innovations, and gives future directions and recommendations for further research and development.