Striking a Balance: Privacy and the Law for US Crisis Centers
Primary Investigator:
Research Independant
Kelley Misata
Abstract
Victims of violence are sadly not a new topic of conversation and research; thankfully there are organizations dedicated to helping these victims. With a constant the rise of domestic abuse, human trafficking, and stalking in the United States, there has also been an increase in organizations compelled to help these victims. According to a report published in January 2015, 20 people per minute fall victim to physical violence by an intimate partner in the United States. Victims of violence and the organizations chartered to help them are facing greater challenges with the emergence of powerful technologies and accessibility on the Internet; technologies that harness the power to provide safety, but also to facilitate ongoing trauma. Crisis organizations and their coordinated efforts with other human services agencies provide lifesaving guidance for victims and their families. Immediate access to information is becoming increasingly necessary and also more damaging when used for the power of evil versus the power of good. So it is not surprising that many victims no longer need to seek out resources in-person; the Internet and mobile devices provide immediate access to resources and support. With policy makers, technologists, security professionals, and privacy advocates circling these issues, organizations working with victims of violence need a way to assess the entire landscape to strike the best (for the moment) balance between privacy and the law.