What Are The Statistics Of Hidden Cameras

Domestic violence offenders are increasingly using GPS trackers and surveillance cameras to monitor their victims, with support workers maxim technology-based abuse has escalated during the pandemic.

New research from women'due south advocacy meridian body WESNET shows that since 2015, in that location has also been an increase in women reporting corruption over messaging services, and even reports of victims' myGov accounts existence misused.

The report, co-authored by researchers from WESNET, Curtin University and the University of New England, surveyed 442 support workers from around the land who specialise in helping victims of family and sexual violence.

The support workers reported that women were the victims in 93 per cent of cases they encountered.

As office of the survey, respondents were asked how oft they saw certain types of offending — all the time, often, sometimes, rarely or never.

In 2020, nearly i in three frontline workers said they saw victims tracked with GPS apps or devices "all the time". Five years ago, only 8 per cent of workers saw that blazon of abuse that often.

Surveillance camera misuse was seen "all the time" or "often" past 42 per cent of back up workers in 2020, upwards from 16 per cent in 2015.

"Those devices are much cheaper and easier to become than five years ago and they're providing much college quality images," WESNET chief executive Karen Bentley said.

Hidden cameras, microphones used to spy

Karen Bentley stands against a wall with her arms crossed. — Karen Bentley'due south organisation, WESNET, gives emergency mobile phones to domestic violence victims.( ABC News )

I respondent told researchers that police had discovered surveillance cameras hidden in a roof, which were discovered afterward a couple separated.

Another told researchers that during the pandemic, there was an increase in "perpetrators installing cameras to observe and watch women while at abode and using listening devices".

The use of sophisticated devices made it difficult for victims to escape abuse, even if they had managed to put physical space betwixt themselves and their attackers, Ms Bentley said.

Social media remained a harassment tool that put women from non-English speaking backgrounds at increased hazard, the researchers said.

Nearly 97 per cent of back up workers said they saw victims abused over email, text or instant messaging services, while a like number were harassed in telephone calls.

Meanwhile, back up workers likewise noted an increase in the number of victims being pressured into sharing their account and device passwords with abusers.

Domestic violence on rise in lockdown

A woman holds her child and covers her face in the background, a broken cup on the floor and a man's legs in the foreground — During June, calls to support line 1800RESPECT were significantly upwards on last yr.( ABC News: Christopher Gillette )

Ms Bentley said WESNET, which donates phones to domestic violence victims, said there had been an "alarming" increment in complex surveillance cases observed by her organisation in recent months.

Terminal week, a Victorian adult female told ABC Radio Melbourne she had fled to work on a regional subcontract due to fears her phones and computers were existence tracked past a stalker she believed to be her ex-partner.

In an farthermost case reported concluding year, a Hobart man pleaded guilty to stalking his ex-girlfriend later using an app to rails and control her automobile.

It comes as agencies similar the Australian Found of Criminology warn of more cases of domestic violence during the pandemic — a fourth dimension of high unemployment and social isolation for many.

Tania Farha, the chief executive of Domestic Violence Victoria and the Domestic Violence Resource Heart Victoria, said some victims had suffered more intense and prolonged abuse during 2020.

"Others are reporting family violence for the start time," she said.

The Victorian COVID-19 Family Violence Information Portal, which has figures upward to June thirty, shows there has been an increase in intervention orders and family unit violence-related ambulance call-outs since last yr.

More than than 8,000 calls were received by 1800RESPECT from Victorian contacts in June, more than than double the figure 12 months earlier.

Posted 24 Nov 2020 Tue 24 November 2020 at 2:01am, updated 24 November 2020 Tue 24 November 2020 at 3:56am