Connectivity is more than ever an essential component of safety and inclusion. This is particularly relevant to the work transition houses and other anti-violence programs do as a lack of meaningful connectivity could present barriers to accessing or providing services central to women and children’s safety and wellbeing. Connectivity in BC is not distributed evenly and faces ongoing and significant challenges. Insufficient or restricted access to connectivity can impact a person’s ability to reach out for help, or how it can contribute to the intensity of violence they experience.
BCSTH has researched connectivity, the digital divide and what that means for women, children and youth experiencing violence. The reports and infographics below share our findings and recommendations to ensure that women, children and youth have the ability to access important anti-violence services.
Reports:
- Connectivity and Violence against Women in British Columbia: TFGBV, barriers, impacts, and recommendations
- Connectivity and the impact of VAW among Newcomer Women in BC
- Connectivity, Access and the Impact on BC’s Rural, Remote, and Indigenous Women Experiencing Violence
Infographics:
- Tech Facilitated Gender Based Violence in BC 2021
- Newcomer Women, Connectivity and TFGBV
- Rural, Remote and Indigenous Communities, Connectivity and TFGBV
- Anti-Violence Workers Share Barriers of Connectivity and Gender-Based Violence in BC
We gratefully acknowledge Rosin Cahill, Alexandra George and Zelal Kaya for their support in developing this research.
©2021 BC Society of Transition Houses, Technology Safety Project.
This online toolkit, or any portion thereof, may be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever as long as acknowledgment to the BC Society of Transition Houses is included in the product.
[1] “Women and girls” refer to and is inclusive of all self-identified women. While we recognize that gender-based violence has significant impacts on cis-gender women and girls in Canada, we also acknowledge that 2SLGBTQQIA+ and gender non-conforming people are disproportionately impacted by experiences of violence and continue to experience significant barriers to anti-violence supports and services.