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Cyber-Space Support for Surviving Domestic Violence: E-Government Reflections

This paper explores how domestic violence survivors utilize online platforms for support, highlighting their information needs in the realms of finances, law, mental health, and logistics. The study emphasizes the crucial role of information resources in aiding survivors and suggests e-government strategies to address misconceptions and coordinate resources effectively.

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Cyber-Space Support for Surviving Domestic Violence: E-Government Reflections

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  1. Surviving Domestic Violence Seeking Support in Cyber-Space: Implications for E-Government Lynn Westbrook, School of Information The University of Texas at Austin Paper given at the Information Resources Management Conference, May 2007

  2. Research Problem • DV is pervasive • DV is costly • DV requires tiered help • DV survivors use BB • DV survivor needs unclear • DV survivor tools unclear

  3. Research Method • Established BB for survivors • Random sample, 1 year • Emergent coding • HyperResearch • Information needs • Information resources • Saturation; code-recode 93%

  4. Information needs • Finances • Law • Mental health • Domestic violence • Logistics

  5. Finances • A by-product of abuse; as unavoidable as a black eye • He left all of our bills with me, including a loan that's in my name and his dad's name. The last thing he said before he left was that he'd kill me if I ruined his dad's credit.

  6. Law • Make the system work and deal with its failures • Remember when you go to report an incident sometimes the bruises don't show up for a day, especially ones from being choked or restrained by the arms...go back the next day and have the cops take pictures

  7. Mental health • Survivors, children, and even abusers’ needs • He said he'd go to anger management and counseling. Where can I seek help for that?

  8. Domestic violence • Seeking confirmation and understanding • He makes me feel … no matter what I say or do it is never right. After looking at some of these websites I've realized that maybe this could be a form of abuse but when I talk to him about it he feels that it is not and that since he does not leave any physical bruises on my body that it is not abuse.

  9. Logistics • Communication, relocation, & employment to survive • secretly pack documents, clothes, money etc so that when you leave you won't be empty handed if you have to go in a hurry

  10. Information resources • All require energy, planning, and persistence • None are sufficient • Include the self, Internet, services, and individuals

  11. The Self • Information seeking; practical and empowering • Use the Internet and books • Look for emotional support, facts, and resources

  12. Formal help • Counseling • DV shelters & services • Police

  13. Informal help • Trustworthy people • Activities to distract, e.g., volunteering • Activities to heal, e.g., exercising • Objects, e.g., gun or dog

  14. Possible implications E-government considerations • Identify misconceptions • Coordinate local, regional, and national resources for those who move and to avoid duplication of effort • Active prevention & aid in cyber-space

  15. Other analyses • Police department web sites in the 172 cities of the largest 100 US metroplexes • All US state government web sites • In-depth interviews with survivors, police, and shelter staff in 10 diverse Texas cities

  16. Questions? Comments? • Laura Cook • Andrew Creed • Arvind Ashta • Lynn Westbrook

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