Accessibility, Assistive Tech, & Inclusion Toolkit

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) is when technology is misused to harm or control someone. Survivors of gender-based violence with disabilities may experience tech misuse differently or at higher rates compared to survivors without disabilities.

The Accessibility, Assistive Tech, & Inclusion toolkit includes resources about:

Supporting survivors with disabilities who are experiencing TFGBV
Assistive technology and how it may be misused to harm survivors
Using tech to increase accessibility in organizations for staff and survivors

The toolkit is designed to support frontline workers in working with survivors of gender-based violence who use assistive technology.

More about the project:

The Accessibility, Assistive Technology and Inclusion (AATI) Project responded to reported gaps in resources to support survivors with disabilities experiencing TFGBV, including survivors who use assistive technology, survivors whose assistive technology is misused to harm them, or organizations interested in learning more about the use of assistive technology in programming. The AATI project developed resources for anti-violence programs to increase accessibility for people with disabilities and reduce the impacts of gender-based violence. Partners were an Advisory Committee of anti-violence workers and experts in gender-based violence prevention and disability advocacy. The project produced training webinars and an online resource toolkit related to assistive technology. BCSTH developed this toolkit collaboratively with Women’s Shelters Canada’s National Tech Safety Canada Project, who developed a number of info sheets.

Reports

In 2023, BCSTH surveyed frontline workers in BC anti-violence programs to learn more about their experiences supporting survivors of gender-based violence with disabilities. View the full report here.

Toolkit

Word of Caution: Some of the resources attached here are available as read-only on this website with an option to download the PDF versions of each document. If you are reading this toolkit on a device that may be monitored by your abuser, do not download the PDF versions as they will automatically save in your downloads folder. If you think that someone is monitoring your phone, use a different device that the person cannot access (and that they have not had access to in the past), such as a computer at a library or a friend’s phone.

Word document versions of the resources developed by BCSTH are available by request at [email protected].

You can also use the BCSTH member directory to find a shelter/transition house near you to discuss options with an anti-violence worker.

Context & Tip Sheets

Supporting Survivors Who Use Assistive Tech

Assistive Technology

Making Your Shelter Accessible

Webinars

For More Resources

Visit https://bcsth.ca/project/technology-safety/ or techsafety.ca for more technology safety resources. You can also visit bcsth.ca to find a safe, confidential support service in your community.

Message of thanks

We gratefully acknowledge the generous contributions of the following organizations, and thank them for their support.

Robson Valley Community Services

Carrier Sekani Family Services

Cariboo Friendship Society

Procne Navigation

Women’s Shelters Canada

Hey Nova

Neil Squire Society

Funding for this toolkit is provided by the Civil Forfeiture Office of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General (MPSSG).