Authors
Yixin Zou, Allison McDonald, Julia Narakornpichit, Nicola Dell, Thomas Ristenpart, Kevin Roundy, Florian Schaub, Acar Tamersoy
Publication date
2021
Conference
30th USENIX security symposium (USENIX Security 21)
Pages
429-446
Description
Technology plays an increasingly salient role in facilitating intimate partner violence (IPV). Customer support at computer security companies are receiving cases that involve tech-enabled IPV but might not be well equipped to handle these cases. To assess customer support's existing practices and identify areas for improvement, we conducted five focus groups with professionals who work with IPV survivors (n= 17). IPV professionals made numerous suggestions, such as using trauma-informed language, avoiding promises to solve problems, and making referrals to resources and support organizations. To evaluate the practicality of these suggestions, we conducted four focus groups with customer support practitioners (n= 11). Support practitioners expressed interest in training agents for IPV cases, but mentioned challenges in identifying potential survivors and frontline agents' limited capacity to help. We conclude with recommendations for computer security companies to better address tech-enabled IPV through training support agents, tracking the prevalence of these cases, and establishing partnerships with IPV advocates.
Total citations
2022202320248134
Scholar articles
Y Zou, A McDonald, J Narakornpichit, N Dell… - 30th USENIX security symposium (USENIX Security 21 …, 2021