Isolation is a tactic many abusers use to control their victims. The perpetrator controls the victim by removing external support systems, so that they become increasingly dependent on the abuser. This makes it difficult for the victim to leave. It is in the abuser’s interest to restrict victims’ access to the Internet, so they can isolate the victim.
Consequently, victims of abuse who seek support from refuge centres are often both socially isolated and digitally excluded. Survivors of abuse are often very lonely. Once they have escaped, survivors are often housed in refuges far from home to keep them safe from their abuser. This means that they are living in a new place, surrounded by strangers, at a time when they are very vulnerable. A tablet computer can be a safe way to communicate and connect with the world around them.
How does technology help?
While receiving a tablet doesn’t change the loss women have experienced, it does help maintain contact with friends and family, at a time when there are restricted visiting hours in place. A tablet computer allows women to access the Internet whenever they want. This is often in the evening when their children are asleep and libraries are closed.
Creating a homely environment means women socialise and chill out.
Cambridge Women's Aid.
The tablet has reduced a lot of my own stress because my daughter is included and not being left out.
Tablets for Survivors of Domestic Abuse Project