There’s an App for That (practitioner only)

A webinar for practitioners supporting victim-survivors of intimate partner violence experiencing online or other forms of technology abuse. The WESNET webinars are designed specifically for practitioners in the field to increase their practice-based knowledge and learn skills to effectively disrupt, prevent and respond to technology facilitated abuse.

About the workshop

The rise of technology-based tactics of violence against women is creating new challenges for frontline workers, and one of their most common questions is “Which safety app can I recommend to my clients?”. Apps are software that can be downloaded onto mobile devices, smartphones and tablets. As at 27 April 2022, the Google Play Store had 3.48 million apps and the Apple Store had 2.22 million apps available for download. With so many apps on the market, it is difficult to know which apps are best to use, especially when a woman’s safety may be put at greater risk.

It is essential that a woman-at-risk understands the Personal Safety App that she is relying on. In August 2019, ACCAN (Australian Communications Consumer Action Network) awarded a grant to WESNET to impartially review and assess Australian-developed safety, security and privacy apps* commonly recommended by frontline workers. WESNET, with initial work started by the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), partnered with software engineer and researcher Dr Robert Merkel, and digital technology and social researchers Dr Jenna Condie and Dr Garth Neal from Western Sydney University to design the research methodology to test each app.

The reviewed safety apps are Arc, Daisy, Help Me, Leelou, Penda, Positive Pathways, and Sunny.

This webinar discussing the reviews of Australian Personal Safety Apps will:

Help participants understand the privacy, safety and security issues concerning personal Safety Apps through a domestic violence lens so that they can better protect themselves and their clients.

Build participant confidence in assessing the functionality, useability and accessibility requirements of personal Safety Apps for use in domestic violence situations.

Educate participants on ‘Smart Shopping Strategies’ to assist them when considering developing, downloading or recommending personal Safety Apps for use.

Empower practitioners to support clients better by strengthening their safety planning knowledge around smartphones and software.

Alert participants to additional tech support on offer, such as downloadable resources in the App Safety Centre on the techsafety.org.au website and the option of phone referrals where complex technology-facilitated abuse is occurring.

Who should attend?

Practitioners who work in the domestic, family and sexual violence sectors

Cost

$11 (incl. GST) which includes access to the entire Technology Facilitated Abuse Series.

Ticket price includes registration for all 6 Technology Facilitated Abuse Series webinars. You will receive an email containing an individual link for each webinar in the days before the event. If you do not wish to attend a specific webinar, please disregard the email.

Register

Register for the workshop via Eventbrite

About the facilitators

Presented by Jo Colautti, Wesnet Technology Safety Specialist

Joanna Colautti is a Technology Safety Specialist for WESNET where she provides training and technical advice on technology safety issues to front-line service providers. Prior to joining WESNET Joanna worked as a domestic violence solicitor at Djirra (previously known as the Aboriginal Family Violence Prevention Legal Service Victoria), civil law/family law solicitor at Legal Aid NSW, domestic violence solicitor at Women’s Legal Service QLD and Early Intervention Family Law Solicitor/ Domestic Violence Solicitor at the Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre. Joanna has extensive experience working directly with clients who have experienced domestic and/ or family violence and assisting them with the legal issues that arise as a result of experiencing this abuse. Joanna provided face to face legal advice, casework assistance and court advocacy in the legal areas of family law, child protection, domestic violence orders, debt and victims compensation.

Presented by Sarah Biordi, Wesnet Technology Safety Specialist

Sarah Biordi joined the WESNET team with a background in statistics and clinical research with extensive face-to face and front-of camera training experience. Sarah’s zeal regarding all matters tech, and a desire to see it used for the better good, fits well with her role as a Technology Safety Specialist. Sarah feels honoured to be in a position to support women and children suffering family and domestic violence through WESNET’s Safety Net Australia Project.

Sarah led the ACCAN-funded WESNET App Safety Centre project which impartially reviewed and assessed some popular safety, security and privacy apps.