Technology-Facilitated Child Abuse

Children are often the overlooked and underserved victims of domestic violence, especially post-separation from an abusive partner. It is during post-separation that technology is often weaponized to target children further abusing and controlling them and their mothers. This episode explores recent studies that expose the extensive levels of abuse children experience in homes where domestic violence occurs with an emphasis on technology-facilitated methods of abuse. Our guest, criminologist and domestic violence researcher Molly Dragiewicz, reveals the stunning findings of the eSafety Research report “Children and technology-facilitated abuse in domestic and family violence situations” and other studies, as well as strategies to safeguard privacy and enhance personal safety.

Molly Dragiewicz is an Associate Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at Griffith University in Australia. Ms. Dragiewicz is an internationally award-winning criminologist who studies violence, gender, technology, and cybercrime. She completed the world-first study of women’s experiences of technology-facilitated coercive control and the world-first study on the ways children are involved in technology abuse. Ms. Dragiewicz is highly involved in interdisciplinary, collaborative research with community organizations working to end violence against women. She is a frequently invited speaker and trainer for judicial officers, lawyers, first responders, domestic violence advocates, and universities. She founded Australia’s first interdisciplinary graduate certificate in domestic violence and is the founder and convenor of the Brisbane Domestic Violence Research Student Network (BDVRSN). Ms. Dragiewicz also serves on the Board of Queensland’s Domestic and Family Violence Death Review and the Gold Coast Family Law Pathways Network.