International Conference on Digital Abuse of Women in Intimate Relationships Director Margaret Martin

Social Media Use in Ireland 80% of adults in Ireland use social networking 78% of adults are on Facebook and about 80% of Facebook users use a smartphone, tablet or laptop 1.8m people in Ireland use Facebook every single day with about 29% of the audience between years 32% use Twitter 0.7m log onto Twitter every day in Ireland with about 53% of the Audience between years

STIR (Safeguarding Teenage Intimate Relationships) 5 country study (Bulgaria, Cyprus, England, Italy and Norway) Connecting online and offline contexts and risks Findings on the incidence and impact in young people’s intimate relationships (aged years) Sending and receiving sexual images

STIR Findings on Incidence Rates and Impact FindingYoung WomenYoung Men Experienced interpersonal violence and abuse ranged 50% - 66% 33% - 66% Experienced negative impact only following sexual violence 81% - 96% Experienced positive or no impact % - 75% In all countries, young people were at least twice as likely to have sent a sexual image or message compared to young people who had not been victimised; and in the UK being asked for a sexual image was accepted as ‘normal’ by young people.

STIR Quotes from Teenagers Quote from Carlo, 17, Italy: If a naked picture of mine goes around the web, no problem…. for a girl it is different…. Her reputation would be in trouble… Quote from Erika, 17, Norway: He walks along with her ‘whole life’ in his mobile phone, ready to share it with anyone at any time

STIR Findings In all 5 countries, young people experienced control and surveillance including: Online ControlOffline Control Being instructed not to chat with specific people or delete contacts Limiting contact with friends Being pressurised or forced to give passwords for online accounts Telling partners what to wear Text conversations monitored or receiving constant phone calls Turning up uninvited and getting upset, annoyed and angry if partner wanted to do take part in activities without them

‘feeling controlled as not even my parents had ever done…’ STIR Quote

Statistical Context: Domestic Violence and Digital Abuse EU FRA Survey 12% of women experienced some form of stalking 5% experienced cyber stalking 50% of perpetrators were partners or ex-partners Women’s Aid Survey (UK) 41% of domestic violence victims that had been helped by Women’s Aid had been tracked or harassed using electronic devices Digital Trust (2015) More than 50% of abusive partners used spyware or some other form of electronic surveillance to stalk their victims The reality is that women in Ireland are more likely to be stalked by a partner or ex than by anybody else.

Digital Abuse Methods

Cumulative Abusive Behaviours for 2 Women Woman A  Her abusive partner sends her/family/friends s/texts/instant messages that were offensive/threatening  He posted offensive comments about her on internet  He shared intimate photos/videos on the internet or by mobile phone  He spread lies and rumours about her on the internet  She reported to Gardai along with other serious abuse and she also tried civil remedy

Woman B  Her abusive partner sends her/family/friends s/texts/instant messages that were offensive/threatening  He tracked her by installing electronic spyware/surveillance on her computer/mobile phone  She had to stop using her phone and got a very simple one so she can communicate with her family and friends safely  He continues to bombard her with texts

Quotes from Testimonies Project - ELLEN Offline:  For a long while, I believed what he said about me; that I wasn’t attractive, that I was stopping him from enjoying his life. Online:  He would text me, saying that I was old, fat and used up. That I wasn’t able to take care of our son, and he could take him away from me. Impact:  He constantly hacked away at my self-esteem. It gave me a hole in my stomach that I thought would never leave me.

Quotes from Testimonies Project - LISA Offline:  He stalked me after I left him. Sometimes in the dark, I’d see him in the back garden. Online:  I was getting texts saying things like ‘get back to work, you bitch’ or ‘don’t go out tonight bitch’ and calling me a ‘slut’ and a ‘cunt’ and a ‘whore’. Impact:  He was still trying to control me. I used to think he was under my bed and that he was going to pounce and finish me off.  I had this feeling that he wanted to kill me and that he wasn’t happy that he hadn’t before things ended.

Remembering Stolen Lives

Thank You