Tech Safety Project
Technology has a major impact on survivors of abuse. It can be used by a victim to access help, form part of a safety plan and keep connected to families and friends. It can also be misused by abusers and offenders in crimes of domestic violence, sexual violence, harassment, stalking and trafficking.
Since 2009, the Province of Manitoba has supported efforts to ensure that education and training on the misuse of technology is available across the province through involvement with the Safety Net Project at the National Network to End Domestic Violence in Washington, DC. The Safety Net Project continues to be the leader on the intersection between the misuse of technology and violence against women. We are grateful to the Safety Net Project and NNEDV for allowing our participation and for supporting the safety of Manitobans.
The goals of the Tech Safety Project are:
- Education to increase survivor safety and privacy
- Training for service providers, legal community, law enforcement and for those who work with victims and survivors
- Advocacy for programs and policies that support the safety and privacy of victims and survivors
- Case consultation on issues related to technology misuse and intimate partner violence
Intimate Image Protection Act – Government of Manitoba
“Manitoba is a leader in helping victims reclaim their intimate images, restoring their privacy and providing support along the way. This is the first provincial legislation of in the country to deal with revenge porn and non-consensual distribution of sexual pictures. It also complements our broader investments to meet the needs of victims and reduce the damage caused by online victimization.”
The new act applies when someone with an intimate image of another person distributes, or threatens to distribute it, without that person’s consent. The person in the picture would have to be identifiable and nude, or engaged in sexual activity, and have had a reasonable expectation of privacy at the time it was created.
The main purpose of the act is to allow Manitobans to:
- remove intimate images from social media or other locations;
- contact individuals who released the intimate image, or their parents, to remove and delete all images; or
- engage police, where appropriate.
The act can also apply in situations where other people obtain or receive intimate images of another person and distribute them without consent, digitally or in any other format.
For more information about this act please visit: https://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/p125e.php
Online Intimate Image Removal Guide
Website: http://www.cybercivilrights.org/online-removal/
National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV)
The National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) of Washington, DC is a social change organization dedicated to creating a social, political and economic environment in which violence against women no longer exists.
Website: nnedv.org
Safety Net: the National Safe & Strategic Technology Project
Technology has a major impact on survivors of abuse. It can be used by a victim to access help, to strategically maintain safety and privacy, and to remain connected to family and friends. It is often used to prove guilt and hold offenders accountable. Yet, technology, in its various forms, is also misused by abusers and perpetrators in crimes of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and trafficking.
Web Page: nnedv.org/contents/safety-net/
Cyber Civil Rights Initiative
The mission of the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative is to help victims of cyber harassment by:
- Providing victims with support and referral services;
- Raising awareness and educating the public about the nature and prevalence of online abuse;
- Working with technology industry leaders to encourage the development of design-based solutions
to non-consensual pornography and other forms of online abuse; and - Advocating for state and federal legislation to prevent such abuse, when appropriate.
Website: www.cybercivilrights.org