WomanACT is excited to share that we have received funding from The Law Foundation of Ontario to undertake research to explore how women experiencing violence use technology to access legal help and support.
The research base into technology as a means to perpetrate violence against women has grown, however, there is a scarcity of information on how technology supports women experiencing violence. Online resources and supports have popped up across sectors including public legal education. As part of developing a more accessible justice system, it is important to understand if and how technology supports survivors.
The project will conduct a literature review to explore the existing knowledge base on violence against women, technology and access to justice. The project will also conduct community-based research with survivors to better understand their experiences and ideas for how technology to help women find legal information, help and support. Using the knowledge gained, we will bring together survivors and key stakeholders – including anti-violence agencies, public legal education providers, lawyers, tech developers – to develop potential solutions and create recommendations to address barriers to justice.