Revolutionising Online Safety: Tackling Technology-Facilitated Abuse to Protect Victims and Survivors of Intimate Partner Violence
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Department Name: Science, Tech, Eng and Public Policy
Abstract
Online abuse is one of the most pressing challenges for our digital society. This is best demonstrated in the context of intimate partner violence (IPV) which continues to affect over two million UK adults with nearly 85% of victims/survivors subjected to some form of technology-facilitated abuse ("tech abuse"). Tech abuse describes the use of "everyday" digital systems (computers, smartphones, apps) to coerce, control, and harm a person or groups of individuals. It includes offences such as image-based abuses ("revenge porn"), cyberstalking, and GPS-tracking. It exposes victims/survivors and their children to all types of physical, emotional, and financial harm.
However, the true scale, nature, and impact of tech abuse is unknown, which makes developing solutions extremely problematic. Additionally, the issue is of pressing importance because tech abuse is on the brink of rapid change. As "smart", Internet of Things (IoT) devices and Artificial Intelligence (AI) become commonplace, these systems drastically increase the reach of abusers and the ease with which they offend. For example, smart speakers or thermostats allow abusers to monitor or remotely control the physical environment of victims/survivors and gives them increased power over their most private data.
The proposed research programme draws on my specialisation on the intersection of emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and gender studies, developed through over 32 publications. The initial four years of my FLF will provide me with a leadership platform to drive change by studying:
(a) The conceptual fit of tech abuse with existing IPV definitions, theories, and models.
(b) The background, drivers, and practices of IPV tech abuse perpetrators.
(c) The safety and security shortcomings of existing digital systems such as smart, Internet-connected devices.
(d) The national and international policy landscape relating to domestic abuse, online harms, and cybercrime.
To achieve this, my FLF leverages excellent partnerships with a cross-sectoral mix of world-leading users and beneficiaries, including industrial (IBM, Kaspersky, Fujitsu, IoT Security Foundation), third sector (Respect, Refuge, Suzy Lamplugh Trust, European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence), academic (Prof Marianne Hester OBE, Prof Elizabeth Yardley, Dr Nicola Henry), and policy stakeholders (National Cyber Security Centre, Home Office, College of Policing).
Moreover, I have confirmed policy placements (UK Domestic Abuse Commissioner) and research visits (Cornell Tech, University of Melbourne), all of which are central to collate, validate, and triangulate data, to co-develop societal responses/technical design recommendations, and to advance my career, as well as my team's.
Together, my FLF will result in an unprecedented evidence-base to revolutionise the tech abuse landscape to support the security and safety of IPV victims/survivors, with the findings of the first four years culminating in the co-creation of interventions and the establishment of a much-needed theory of change.
However, the true scale, nature, and impact of tech abuse is unknown, which makes developing solutions extremely problematic. Additionally, the issue is of pressing importance because tech abuse is on the brink of rapid change. As "smart", Internet of Things (IoT) devices and Artificial Intelligence (AI) become commonplace, these systems drastically increase the reach of abusers and the ease with which they offend. For example, smart speakers or thermostats allow abusers to monitor or remotely control the physical environment of victims/survivors and gives them increased power over their most private data.
The proposed research programme draws on my specialisation on the intersection of emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and gender studies, developed through over 32 publications. The initial four years of my FLF will provide me with a leadership platform to drive change by studying:
(a) The conceptual fit of tech abuse with existing IPV definitions, theories, and models.
(b) The background, drivers, and practices of IPV tech abuse perpetrators.
(c) The safety and security shortcomings of existing digital systems such as smart, Internet-connected devices.
(d) The national and international policy landscape relating to domestic abuse, online harms, and cybercrime.
To achieve this, my FLF leverages excellent partnerships with a cross-sectoral mix of world-leading users and beneficiaries, including industrial (IBM, Kaspersky, Fujitsu, IoT Security Foundation), third sector (Respect, Refuge, Suzy Lamplugh Trust, European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence), academic (Prof Marianne Hester OBE, Prof Elizabeth Yardley, Dr Nicola Henry), and policy stakeholders (National Cyber Security Centre, Home Office, College of Policing).
Moreover, I have confirmed policy placements (UK Domestic Abuse Commissioner) and research visits (Cornell Tech, University of Melbourne), all of which are central to collate, validate, and triangulate data, to co-develop societal responses/technical design recommendations, and to advance my career, as well as my team's.
Together, my FLF will result in an unprecedented evidence-base to revolutionise the tech abuse landscape to support the security and safety of IPV victims/survivors, with the findings of the first four years culminating in the co-creation of interventions and the establishment of a much-needed theory of change.
Organisations
- UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON (Lead Research Organisation)
- End Violence Against Women (Collaboration)
- European Institute for Gender Equality (Collaboration)
- Refuge (Collaboration, Project Partner)
- Chatham House (Collaboration)
- UN Women (Collaboration)
- Respect (Domestic Violence Prevention Service) (Collaboration)
- National Crime Agency (Collaboration)
- Deakin University (Collaboration)
- Redbridge London Borough Council (Collaboration)
- Google (Collaboration)
- United Nations Population Fund (Collaboration)
- National Police Chiefs Council (Collaboration)
- Prime Minister's Office (Collaboration)
- BIRMINGHAM CITY UNIVERSITY (Project Partner)
- Fujitsu Limited (Project Partner)
- Kaspersky UK Ltd (Project Partner)
- Cornell Tech (Project Partner)
- University of Melbourne (Project Partner)
- Work with Perpetrators WWP EN (Project Partner)
- Home Office (Project Partner)
- RMIT University (Project Partner)
- University of Bristol (Project Partner)
- Suzy Lamplugh Trust (Project Partner)
- IBM (United Kingdom) (Project Partner)
- UK National Cyber Security Centre (Project Partner)
- Tech Works (Project Partner)
- Respect (Project Partner)
- Domestic Abuse Commissioner (Project Partner)
Publications
Ashkenazi M
(2026)
Decoding Psychological Abuse: A Comparative Study of Natural Language Processing (NLP) Classifiers Using Reddit Data
in Social Science Computer Review
Beadle K
(2024)
The Possibilities of Data Resistance in a Digital Society
Brown A
(2025)
Safeguarding the "Internet of Things" for Victim-Survivors of Domestic and Family Violence: Anticipating Exploitative Use and Encouraging Safety-by-Design.
in Violence against women
Douglas H
(2023)
Policing Technology-Facilitated Domestic Abuse (TFDA): Views of Service Providers in Australia and the United Kingdom
in Journal of Family Violence
Isabel Straw
(2023)
Safeguarding patients from technology-facilitated abuse in clinical settings: A narrative review
in PLOS Digital Health
Janickyj M
(2025)
Online and Offline Stalking Victimisation in the Crime Survey for England and Wales: Its Predictors and Victim/Survivors' Views on Criminalisation
in The British Journal of Criminology
Janickyj, M
(2025)
Policy Briefing: "What Is Tech Abuse and How Can We Tackle It?"
| Description | I designed my fellowship (Round 6) to protect victims/survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) from the risks that digital technologies create and ensured strong, real-world partnerships - across (inter)national policy, industry, and public sector stakeholders - from day one. This proactivity has enabled me to achieve a range of exceptional early impacts: [1] STRA https://www.vkpp.org.uk/assets/VAWG-STRA-PUBLIC-OFFICIAL.pdf I have directly contributed to tech abuse being recognised as a national threat in the first-ever national threat assessment of crimes posing the greatest danger to women and girls, as well as playing a central role in the UK Government accepting tech abuse as a priority. The Strategic Threat Risk Assessment (STRA) which I played a pivotal role in shaping, recognises tech abuse as a strategic risk for the first time - and places Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) on the same footing as counter terrorism. It is having a major impact on the policing response to VAWG, enabling Police Chiefs to understand and respond to the threat, as well as strategically plan for the future - something that had been lacking, as recognised by the DCMS Select Committee earlier this year. I co-ordinated and delivered a hybrid roundtable, bringing together key stakeholders from the third sector, academia, the policy community, and the Police. This informed the online VAWG section of the STRA, providing critical insight and information on how online VAWG surfaces and enabling the identification of emerging threats through strong partnership collaboration - plugging Police intelligence and data gaps. The NPCC described my role in developing the STRA as 'invaluable' and my research was cited in their evidence base. The STRA was shared with every Force in the UK, with clear expectations around implementation. The training that I supported development of, on tech abuse for frontline officers, has already been completed more than 6000 times and been made mandatory by five forces. [2] Policing Tool https://www.college.police.uk/article/digital-investigative-skills-operation-modify https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/642d3f9e7de82b001231364d/Controlling_or_Coercive_Behaviour_Statutory_Guidance_-_final.pdf Complementary to the STRA, I supported the development of a new "online perpetrator programme" training tool for frontline officers, enabling them to understand how to respond to tech abuse. I introduced key stakeholders, reviewed e-learning scripts and acted as a critical friend before the tool went live. The College of Policing described my research and efforts as having 'strongly influenced and impacted' this project (Operation Modify). Additionally, my research has highlighted issues in the criminal justice response to tech abuse, and I have worked directly with partners to help design solutions. I have already delivered several publications through my FLF and contributed to multiple Government consultations, including on the Home Office's Controlling or Coercive Behaviour Statutory Guidance - which now recognises tech abuse - and their approach to digital evidence on appeal judgements on which I am cited. [3] Tech Abuse in UK Government Report https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmcumeds/157/report.html I provided written and oral evidence to the Select Committee Inquiry into Connected Tech, contributed to calls for evidence to shape Government policy, and worked directly with officials at Departments including the Home Office to support their response to issues such as digital evidence in appeal judgements and the Computer Misuse Act. As highlighted by the Select Committee Report, there is a need for more coherent data from law enforcement. I am nearing completion of a Delphi Study to define tech abuse, which will support efforts around quantification-an issue raised by almost every organisation we speak with. The study is being supported by UN Women and UNFPA, who recognise the benefits it will be to their teams. It is also relevant for WHO and EIGE, of which I am a member, and is likely to have a global impact. |
| Exploitation Route | I believe it will help to break down disciplinary and stakeholder siloes to enable greater impact in tech, policing, the domestic abuse sector and beyond. |
| Sectors | Communities and Social Services/Policy Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Government Democracy and Justice |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/computer-science/research/research-labs/gender-and-tech |
| Description | My work has influenced the following documents and strategies: [1] Strategic Threat Risk Assessment (STRA): https://www.vkpp.org.uk/assets/VAWG-STRA-PUBLIC-OFFICIAL.pdf [2] Police Tech Abuse Training: https://www.college.police.uk/article/digital-investigative-skills-operation-modify [3] House of Commons Select Committee report: https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5803/cmselect/cmcumeds/157/report.html [4] New Strategic Framework to end VAWG in Northern Ireland: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/computer-science/sites/computer_science/files/ni_evawg_consultation_-_ucl_qub.docx_wsummary_draft.pdf [5] Appeal judgement transcripts to assess changes in the presence of digital evidence in police investigations: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-evidence-in-appeal-judgement-transcripts/using-appeal-judgement-transcripts-to-assess-changes-in-the-presence-of-digital-evidence-in-police-investigations#:~:text=Information%20gathered%20from%20social%20media,Powell%20%26%20Haynes%2C%202019 |
| First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
| Sector | Communities and Social Services/Policy,Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education,Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |
| Description | "Connected tech: smart or sinister?" House of Commons Committee Report |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | My FLF and the larger work of my Gender and Tech Research team at UCL helped shape the policy debate around the future of connected technology. The Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee have called on the UK Government to prioritise tackling tech abuse, following evidence presented by us, which highlighted how smart, Internet-connected products facilitate intimate partner violence, with most domestic abuse cases having a digital element. In the published "Connected tech: smart or sinister?" House of Commons Committee report, the UK Government is urged to tackle tech abuse by improving the criminal justice response, raising public awareness and convening industry to ensure manufacturers and distributors mitigate risks through product design. Link to oral evidence: https://committees.parliament.uk/oralevidence/10627/pdf/ Link to written evidence: https://committees.parliament.uk/writtenevidence/109388/html/ |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/41099/documents/200210/default/ |
| Description | "Cyber Check ABC" Online Perpetrator Programme |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | "The State of Stalkerware" Citation |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | The cybersecurity and anti-virus provider, Kaspersky, released its latest "State of Stalkerware 2022" report. This analysis is published annually (see versions 2021 & 2020). In the past year, Kaspersky saw nearly 30,000 mobile users globally targeted by stalkerware. My UCL Gender and Tech Research Group appeared in this report, highlighting the data's importance in understanding the scope of digital violence and the global market of spyware that researchers, support organisations, and tech vendors must have on the radar. |
| URL | https://securelist.com/the-state-of-stalkerware-in-2022/108985/ |
| Description | Acknowledgement in UK government-funded landscape analysis on technology-facilitated gender-based violence |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-violence-real-world-harm-evaluating-survivor-cent... |
| Description | Acknowledgement in UN Women & Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) - Global Trends to Prevent and Respond to Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls: A Compendium of Emerging Practices |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.unwomen.org/sites/default/files/2025-12/global-trends-to-prevent-and-respond-to-technolo... |
| Description | Australian eSafety Commissioner's "Safety By Design" Industry Implementation Guide |
| Geographic Reach | Australia |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | A notable development is the release of the "Safety by Design: Technology, Gendered Violence, and Safety by Design" industry guide in September 2024. This guide provides actionable steps for technology companies to prevent and mitigate technology-facilitated gender-based violence. It covers understanding the impact of such violence, identifying perpetrators, and applying the Safety by Design principles to address these challenges effectively. The guide has been well-received, with industry stakeholders acknowledging its importance in prioritising user safety. It offers practical measures for tech companies to evaluate and enhance their safety protocols, fostering a safer online environment for users. Incorporating insights from the guide, technology companies have reported improvements in user safety metrics, such as a reduction in incidents of online harassment and a more proactive approach to addressing user concerns. These changes highlight the effectiveness of integrating comprehensive safety measures into the design and operation of online platforms. |
| URL | https://www.esafety.gov.au/sites/default/files/2024-09/SafetyByDesign-technology-facilitated-gender-... |
| Description | BFF IoT Tech Abuse Training |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | The IoT tech abuse training provided to bff, the federal association of rape crisis centres and women's counselling centres in Germany, has enhanced the capacity of frontline professionals to recognise, address, and mitigate technology-facilitated abuse. This training has equipped support workers with practical knowledge of emerging IoT-related threats, enabling them to offer more effective guidance to survivors of domestic and gender-based violence. The reach of this initiative extends across bff's extensive network of counselling centres, benefiting both practitioners and survivors. Initial feedback from participants indicates increased confidence in handling tech-facilitated abuse cases, demonstrating the tangible impact on practice and victim support. |
| Description | Citation in Home Affairs Committee Inquiry on Violence Against Women and Girls: Funding |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5901/cmselect/cmhaff/741/report.html |
| Description | Citation in NY State Education Department Training |
| Geographic Reach | North America |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://www.atrainceu.com/content/348-new-york-child-abuse-mandated-reporters |
| Description | Citation in Ofcom's "A Safer Life Online for Women and Girls" Guidance under the Online Safety Act |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | We informed Ofcom's final guidance "A Safer Life Online for Women and Girls", developed to support implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023. Our consultation submission and related research were cited 27 times in the final guidance, which sets out over 50 recommended safety measures for technology companies to mitigate harms such as cyberstalking, intimate image abuse, misogynistic harassment and coercive control. The guidance incorporated changes responding to consultation feedback, including reframing digital domestic abuse risks through concepts such as coercive control and stalking, strengthening the regulatory recognition of technology-facilitated abuse within UK online safety policy. The guidance informs how online platforms operating in the UK are expected to assess and mitigate risks to women and girls. |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/engineering/news/2025/dec/academic-evidence-underpins-ofcoms-new-measures-onli... |
| Description | Citation in Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST) POSTnote on Violence Against Women and Girls in Schools and Among Children and Young People |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/POST-PN-0750/POST-PN-0750.pdf |
| Description | Citation in Spanish Office of Science and Technology Report |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://www.oficinac.es/sites/default/files/informes/20221114_Report%20C%20cibersecurity.pdf |
| Description | Citation in UK Home Office Analysis |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| Impact | Improved use of digital evidence in police investigations |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/digital-evidence-in-appeal-judgement-transcripts/using-ap... |
| Description | Citation in practitioner guide addressing technology-facilitated abuse affecting older people |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Impact | The resource provides actionable recommendations on identifying and responding to technology-enabled harms affecting older victims, such as mobile phone tracking, surveillance through smart home devices, online harassment, and financial exploitation through digital banking or shopping accounts. Available in both English and Welsh, the guide supports professional practice across Wales (and the UK) by improving frontline awareness of technology-facilitated abuse affecting older adults and enabling practitioners to incorporate digital risks into safeguarding assessments and victim support interventions. |
| URL | https://www.shropshiresafeguardingcommunitypartnership.co.uk/media/ltkjcbwb/dewischoice_practitioner... |
| Description | Citation in the UK Public Accounts Committee report "Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/47922/documents/251800/default/ |
| Description | Cited in DSIT Report |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/672b676dfbd69e1861921c21/A_review_of_the_risks_and_ps... |
| Description | Closed-Door Meeting with the UK Home Office, DSIT & Apple |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Consultation on Data Access under the Digital Services Act |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/13817-Delegated-Regulation... |
| Description | Contribution to ICO consultation on Guidance for Consumer Internet of Things Products and Services |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6502e1541ed8df70549f7225/t/68c19f5fa738f144a8776ea9/175751971... |
| Description | Contribution to Ofcom consultation on "Online Safety - Additional Safety Measures" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | Our submission contributed to Ofcom's evidence base for strengthening regulatory expectations under the Online Safety Act 2023, particularly regarding how platforms should address gender-based online harms and technology-facilitated abuse. |
| URL | https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6502e1541ed8df70549f7225/t/68f8971c92505c7297e65ef1/176112207... |
| Description | Contribution to the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners (APCC) report "Response of Police and Crime Commissioners to Online Safety" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| URL | https://www.apccs.police.uk/member-resources/resources/apcc-report-response-of-police-and-crime-comm... |
| Description | Contribution to the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) public guidance on "Digitale Gewalt" (Digital Violence) |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| URL | https://www.bsi.bund.de/DE/Themen/Verbraucherinnen-und-Verbraucher/Cyber-Sicherheitslage/Methoden-de... |
| Description | Development and rollout of technology-facilitated abuse training for domestic abuse practitioners and perpetrator intervention programmes |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | This work has contributed to embedding technology-facilitated abuse into practitioner training and perpetrator intervention programmes, addressing a major gap in domestic abuse practice where digital harms have historically been overlooked. By translating research findings into practical training materials and programme modules, the collaboration supports frontline practitioners in identifying and responding to technology-enabled coercive control and stalking behaviours within perpetrator programmes. The rollout through Respect-accredited programmes and local authority training initiatives enables the integration of technology-facilitated abuse into domestic abuse prevention and intervention practice across the UK. |
| Description | Domestic homicide review legislation consultation |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://lawpoliticsandsociology.files.wordpress.com/2023/07/domestic-homicide-review-legislation-con... |
| Description | EU-US Expert Virtual Workshop Towards the establishment of Joint Principles and the Advancement of Research Collaboration on Technology-Facilitated Gender-based Violence (TF-GBV) |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | Due to my input to this workshop, I have been invited to a closed-door expert workshop. The EU will host the 6th Ministerial Meeting of the EU-U.S. Trade and Technology Council (TTC) in Belgium in early April (date and venue to be announced). On this occasion, the European Commission (in coordination with the United States Government) will co-host a closed-door expert workshop on 'Opening-up platforms' black boxes' and 'From Data to Solutions against Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence' as part of the ongoing EU-US cooperation under Working Group 5 - Data Governance and Technology Platforms. Given my extensive expertise and leading research in this area, I was invited to participate, alongside officials from the European Commission and the United States Government and other selected experts. |
| Description | European Commission: Delegated Regulation on data access under the Digital Services Act (DSA) Consultation Feedback |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6502e1541ed8df70549f7225/t/67bd975c7c9a55359699525a/174047830... |
| Description | FCDO - Turkish Delegation Visit |
| Geographic Reach | Asia |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | Feedback on IETF draft document on digital considerations of intimate partner violence |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| URL | https://www.ietf.org/id/draft-irtf-hrpc-ipvc-00.html |
| Description | German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) - "Dialogue for Cybersecurity" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.dialog-cybersicherheit.de/storage/uploads/ws24-endprodukte/2024_Ergebnisbericht_Digitale... |
| Description | Home Affairs Committee Inquiry into "Violence Against Women and Girls: Funding" |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6502e1541ed8df70549f7225/t/67d049990241fd0609591d01/174170357... |
| Description | Illegal Harms Online Consultation - Written Submission |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | Our consultation was cited in the latest Online VAWG Guidance by OFCOM |
| URL | https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6502e1541ed8df70549f7225/t/67616b84d943ea67d065ff8a/173443776... |
| Description | Impacting National Police Strategy (STRA) |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Impact | Our efforts to ensure tech abuse had a place within the STRA included our team hosting the incredibly successful VAWG Roundtable in October 2022 for the National Police Chief's Council (NPCC). Throughout the day, experts throughout VAWG research and services emphasised the risks posed by Tech Abuse to the NPCC. It is incredible to see that this hard work has influenced the National Police Strategy across the UK through the STRA publication. Since it's publication, police chiefs across the UK have to follow the STRA so that each service can better equip itself to stop these crimes. |
| URL | https://www.vkpp.org.uk/publications/publications-and-reports/reports/strategic-threat-and-risk-asse... |
| Description | IoT-facilitated tech abuse training for the Australian eSafety Commissioner's Office |
| Geographic Reach | Australia |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | Letters to OFCOM and DSIT |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://committees.parliament.uk/work/7879/preparedness-for-online-safety-regulation/ |
| Description | MOPAC: London VAWG Prevention Survey |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Description | Meeting with Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Future Digital Economy and Online Safety, Baroness Jones of Whitchurch |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Description | Member of SVRI's Advisory Group for the TFGBV research setting process |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Impact | SVRI are working with UNFPA, UN Women and organisations like the WHO. Their work on tech abuse will impact funding distribution in this space and the measurement of tech abuse moving forward. |
| URL | https://www.svri.org/ |
| Description | OFCOM Call for Evidence - Access to Data |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6502e1541ed8df70549f7225/t/679a3ac155e46722096e3f56/173816083... |
| Description | OFCOM Draft VAWG Guidance |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/resources/documents/consultations/category-1-10-weeks/consultati... |
| Description | Ofcom "OVAWG" Roundtable |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Ofcom Consultation on Draft Guidance: A Safer Life Online for Women and Girls |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | Our research and policy engagement contributed to improvements in the UK's regulatory framework addressing technology-facilitated abuse and online harms. In particular, evidence submitted to Ofcom's consultation on "A Safer Life Online for Women and Girls" informed the development of guidance supporting implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023. The final Ofcom guidance, published in November 2025, includes more than 50 recommended safety measures for technology companies to address harms such as misogynistic abuse, stalking, intimate image abuse, and coercive control. Our consultation response and related research were cited 27 times in the final guidance, including references to our work on threat modelling intimate partner violence and technology-facilitated abuse. During the consultation process, we highlighted limitations in existing regulatory approaches that focus primarily on social media platforms and content moderation. Our submission emphasised the need to address technology-facilitated abuse across device ecosystems, including smart home technologies, spyware, and connected devices, and recommended safety-by-design approaches that anticipate how product features may be misused in abusive relationships. The final guidance incorporated changes addressing issues raised in our submission and related sector feedback, including reframing certain harms through concepts such as coercive control and stalking, thereby aligning the regulatory language more closely with established legal and safeguarding frameworks. |
| URL | https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6502e1541ed8df70549f7225/t/682f42216d5b0329fd0264ae/174792758... |
| Description | Ofcom VAWG Guidance Joint Sector Briefing |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | Our research contributed to improvements in the UK's regulatory framework addressing technology-facilitated abuse and online harms. Evidence submitte to Ofcom's consultation on "A Safer Life Online for Women and Girls" informed guidance supporting implementation of the Online Safety Act 2023. Our consultation response and related research were cited 27 times in Ofcom's final guidance. |
| URL | https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6502e1541ed8df70549f7225/t/6889ed99e740564a04e29368/175386972... |
| Description | PAC Inquiry on Tackling VAWG |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6502e1541ed8df70549f7225/t/67b5f72b36824e019bce086e/173997854... |
| Description | POSTNote: Digital Disengagement & Exclusion |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://post.parliament.uk/research-briefings/post-pn-0725/?utm_campaign=0824-rice-routine-spotlight... |
| Description | Policy briefing for the Northern Ireland Executive |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Implementation circular/rapid advice/letter to e.g. Ministry of Health |
| Impact | The Northern Ireland Executive plans to adopt our proposed definitions outlined in the policy document in future policy outputs. |
| Description | Policy response to the Consultation on a Strategic Framework to End Violence Against Women and Girls (EVAWG) in Northern Ireland |
| Geographic Reach | Local/Municipal/Regional |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/computer-science/sites/computer_science/files/ni_evawg_consultation_-_ucl_qub.... |
| Description | Signed the Digital Violence Petition ("Forderungspapier zu Digitaler Gewalt") |
| Geographic Reach | Europe |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| Impact | In October 2024, over 60 civil society organisations and projects from Germany - including our research group at UCL presented a position paper to the German government. This paper addressed the urgent need for enhanced protection against digital violence, highlighting the government's lack of progress in implementing previously proposed measures. The position paper emphasises that digital violence, encompassing forms such as cyberstalking and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images, poses significant threats to individuals and society. It calls for comprehensive legislative action to address all manifestations of digital violence, aligning with international commitments like the Istanbul Convention. In response to this advocacy, the German government has initiated a draft law aimed at better supporting victims of digital violence. However, experts note that while this is a positive step, further improvements are necessary to fully address the issue. The collaborative efforts of these organisations have significantly raised awareness about digital violence in Germany, leading to policy discussions and legislative proposals. This collective action underscores the critical need for effective measures to protect individuals from digital harm. |
| URL | https://ein-team.org/forderungspapier/ |
| Description | Submitted written evidence to the Criminal Justice Bill Consultation |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm5804/cmpublic/CriminalJustice/memo/CJB56.htm |
| Description | Submitted written evidence to the Ofcom Illegal Harms Consultation |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://www.onlinesafetyact.net/uploads/Illegal-Harms-Consultation-Response---UCL-Gender-and-Tech---... |
| Description | Tech Enabled Violence Against Women and Girls Roundtable hosted by Jess Phillips |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Technology and Abuse" Webinar for Respect |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| Description | UNFPA - A Programming Framework for TFGBV |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| URL | https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/A%20Framework%20for%20TFGBV%20Programming.pdf |
| Description | UNFPA TFGBV Evaluation Framework |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to new or improved professional practice |
| Description | UNFPA Think Piece |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Citation in other policy documents |
| URL | https://www.unfpa.org/publications/safe-digital-future |
| Description | United Nations Human Rights Office of the High Commissioner Call for Inputs to the 2026 Thematic Report on Gender Equality, the Digital Space and the Age of Artificial Intelligence |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Contribution to a national consultation/review |
| URL | https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6502e1541ed8df70549f7225/t/692eb8a391121c49c7e894c7/176466960... |
| Description | OVAWG Secondary Data Analysis and Literature Review |
| Amount | £12,000 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | Probing the Black Box: Developing a Framework to Evaluate the Fairness and Stability of Proprietary Content Moderation Algorithms |
| Organisation | Ofcom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 01/2025 |
| End | 04/2025 |
| Description | Unrestricted Gift |
| Amount | $80,000 (USD) |
| Organisation | |
| Sector | Private |
| Country | United States |
| Start | 09/2024 |
| Title | Reflective Group Practice |
| Description | We implemented monthly Reflective Group Practices into our team, which are supervised sessions that everyone in my research lab attends and that are facilitated by a clinical psychotherapist. The sessions alow to counteract the chances of members being negatively impacted by our research on domestic abuse and should prevent secondary/viccarious trauma. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Positive impact to my team's mental health and better group dynamics. |
| Title | Data for "Defining and Conceptualizing Technology-Facilitated Abuse: A Global Delphi Study" |
| Description | This data relates to the paper "Defining and Conceptualizing Technology-Facilitated Abuse: A Global Delphi Study", which is based on a study conducted by the Gender and Tech Research Lab at UCL Computer Science. The study is looking to define and conceptualise Technology-Facilitated Abuse (TFA), based on a global sample of experts. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2024 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | This dataset has generated significant interest, with 338 views and 142 downloads, indicating its relevance to the research community. While it has not yet been cited, it has the potential to support further studies in the field of technology-facilitated domestic abuse and intimate partner violence by providing valuable data for analysis. It has been shared within academic and professional networks and could contribute to policy discussions or practical applications in UN forums (such as UNFPA who we are closely working with) as well as the UK Government (the UK Home Office and Ofcom are aware of it). Future citations and applications are expected as researchers continue to engage with the dataset. |
| URL | https://rdr.ucl.ac.uk/articles/dataset/Data_for_Defining_and_Conceptualizing_Technology-Facilitated_... |
| Title | Expert-Annotated Reddit Posts on Six Classes of Psychological Abuse |
| Description | This dataset accompanies the papers "Decoding Psychological Abuse: A Comparative Study of Natural Language Processing (NLP) Classifiers Using Reddit Data" and "The Use of Computational Text Mining Methods to Detect and Understand Domestic Abuse", conducted by the Gender and Tech Research Lab at UCL Computer Science. The studies apply NLP modeling techniques to classify different forms of psychological abuse in Reddit posts.The text data consists of posts from 2021, collected from three publicly available subreddits (r/abusiverelationships, r/domesticviolence, and r/emotionalabuse), using the Pushshift Reddit API. Each post has been labeled by four expert annotators across six non-mutually exclusive categories of psychological abuse. The dataset includes four separate files containing the individual annotations from each expert. In addition, an aggregate dataset is provided that combines the annotations using two labeling strategies: (1) OR labels, where a label is assigned if at least one annotator selected the category, and (2) AND labels, where a label is assigned if at least two annotators selected the category. The data is anonymised and excludes duplicate, empty, and deleted posts. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2026 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The dataset is associated with the papers "Decoding Psychological Abuse: A Comparative Study of Natural Language Processing (NLP) Classifiers Using Reddit Data" and "The Use of Computational Text Mining Methods to Detect and Understand Domestic Abuse". |
| URL | https://rdr.ucl.ac.uk/articles/dataset/Expert-Annotated_Reddit_Posts_on_Six_Classes_of_Psychological... |
| Description | Advisory Board Member for Chatham House "Gender and Cybersecurity" Research Project |
| Organisation | Chatham House |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | I am an Advisory Board Member for the Chatham House "Gender and Cybersecurity" Research Project. |
| Collaborator Contribution | I advise on what relevant stakeholders to engage with, the content and drafting of written outputs and broader analytical directions of the project. |
| Impact | Yes, this is an interdisciplinary project involving global stakeholders from governments, the private sector, and civil society. So far, the outcomes have been restricted to meetings. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Deakin University-eSafety Targeted Digital Advertising Advisory Group |
| Organisation | Deakin University |
| Country | Australia |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Leonie Tanczer is a member of the Deakin University-eSafety Targeted Digital Advertising Advisory Group, which provides expert insights on the risks and implications of targeted digital advertising, particularly concerning online safety and vulnerable populations. Her contributions include advising on the intersection of gender, technology, and cybersecurity, sharing research findings on digital harms, and supporting policy-relevant discussions to enhance regulatory and protective measures. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Provided advice on the ethics process and methodology. |
| Impact | There have been no outcomes so far, but hopefully, eventually, this will lead to co-authored publications. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | End Violence Against Women (EVAW) Online VAWG Network |
| Organisation | End Violence Against Women |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Our research team contributes expertise on technology-facilitated abuse, cybersecurity, and gender-based violence to the EVAW Online VAWG Network. We engage in knowledge exchange, provide research insights on emerging threats, and support policy discussions on online violence against women and girls. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our partners contribute by collaborating on policy submissions, consultation responses, and advocacy efforts, including drafting letters to MPs. They help coordinate joint initiatives, amplify research findings, and support strategic engagement with policymakers to address online violence against women and girls. |
| Impact | As part of this collaboration, we co-signed a letter to Ofcom addressing the need for a robust draft guidance on violence against women and girls (VAWG) which is part of the commitment derived from the Online Safety Act. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) External Experts' Database |
| Organisation | European Institute for Gender Equality |
| Country | Lithuania |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | I have been approved to be added to the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) External Experts' Database. Selected experts will be called on a case-by-case basis where a particular task(s) relating to one of the areas of EIGE's work. |
| Collaborator Contribution | I guided international developments on cyber violence, tech abuse and technology-facilitated gender-based violence. |
| Impact | n/a |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | London Borough of Redbridge - Spotlight Programme |
| Organisation | Redbridge London Borough Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We are working with the London Borough of Redbridge, which runs a Respect-accredited perpetrator programme called "Spotlight" that enables us to access and study tech abuser perpetrators as part of my UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship (FLF). |
| Collaborator Contribution | They provided us access to interviewees and opportunities to hold focus groups and learn more about perpetrator profiles and tech abuse perpetration pathways. |
| Impact | The findings of this work influence the delivery of the perpetrator programme and the questions frontline workers are asking perpetrators in their 1-2-1s, as they now explicitly account for tech abuse. |
| Start Year | 2023 |
| Description | Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) - Collaboration on Technology-Facilitated Abuse and VAWG Policy |
| Organisation | Prime Minister's Office |
| Country | Brunei Darussalam |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We collaborate with the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) on research and policy engagement relating to technology-facilitated abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG). MOPAC representatives sit on the Lab's Advisory Board, where we share emerging research on technology-facilitated abuse, digital coercive control and the misuse of connected technologies. This provides opportunities to translate research insights into policy discussions relevant to policing and VAWG responses in London. The research team has also provided evidence and insights relevant to the development of the Mayor of London's forthcoming VAWG Strategy, highlighting the growing role of digital technologies in enabling abuse and the need for coordinated responses across policing, local authorities and victim-support services. Through MOPAC, we have also contributed to the City Hub and Network for Gender Equity (CHANGE) initiative, delivering presentations on technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) to international city policymakers and practitioners working on gender equality and urban safety. Finally, this collaboration has supported knowledge exchange and public engagement, including MOPAC facilitating access to London City Hall as the venue for the Tech Abuse Conference 2026, which the Lab is organising to bring together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, industry and survivor organisations. The Mayor of London will open the event, demonstrating high-level policy engagement with the research. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC) contributes policy expertise, strategic insight and access to London's policing and violence-against-women-and-girls (VAWG) policy networks. Through participation in the Lab's Advisory Board, MOPAC provides feedback on research priorities, policy relevance and opportunities to translate research findings into practice within policing and city-level safety initiatives. MOPAC supported public engagement and knowledge exchange activities by facilitating the use of London City Hall as the venue for the Tech Abuse Conference 2026 and helping connect the research team with relevant stakeholders across policy and public safety sectors. |
| Impact | - Presentations on technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) through the City Hub and Network for Gender Equity (CHANGE) initiative, enabling knowledge exchange with policymakers and practitioners from international city governments working on gender equality and urban safety. - Collaboration supporting the organisation of the Tech Abuse Conference 2026, hosted at London City Hall, bringing together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, industry and survivor organisations. The Mayor of London will open the event, demonstrating high-level policy engagement with the research. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | National Crime Agency |
| Organisation | National Crime Agency |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | We are working with the National Crime Agency and the MET to organise a roundtable on tech abuse on the 19 of October. The roundtable will inform the development of a VAWG Digital Strategy as well as a STRA. Purpose of the roundtable The roundtable is specifically designed to inform the response to technology-enabled abuse and participants have been invited based on their expertise in research, advocacy and service provision around those experiencing technology based VAWG. This roundtable is being organised by the VAWG taskforce, with the kind support and assistance of UCL, as one of a number of events to inform the development of the VAWG STRA. We will be running other events with other participants (e.g. we have a roundtable with industry being organised with Tech UK in November). What is the STRA? The VAWG Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment (STRA) is an intelligence assessment of the overall threat from VAWG. Its purpose is to inform the national and local response to VAWG offending and to benchmark trends in both the nature of offending as well as the response of police and other partners. This approach is in line with that taken to other long standing national threat areas such as Counter Terrorism and Serious & Organised Crime included in the SPR. As this is the first STRA for VAWG it will be something of a baseline. The aim is for the STRA to be regularly reviewed and updated, probably on an annual basis. Police forces have already been asked to compile problem profiles of VAWG offending in their force areas covering issues such as the profile of victims, offenders, places, education and technology in offending. To help inform this baseline as we feel that it is vital for it to reflect as broad a range of views as possible. We really want to take advantage of the expertise and insight of those attending the workshop in technology enabled abuse and offending. Without an authoritative national picture of the problem it is difficult to articulate the need for dedicated resources and accountability across police forces and partners. The STRA will be published in the spring of 2023 and a version of the STRA will be made publicly available and distributed to partners. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Expertise |
| Impact | VAWG Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment (STRA) |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) |
| Organisation | National Police Chiefs Council |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We collaborate with the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) to improve understanding of how UK police forces respond to technology-facilitated abuse. As part of this collaboration, the research team developed and is conducting the Tech Abuse Police Mapping Study, which examines how police forces identify, record and respond to technology-enabled forms of abuse such as digital coercive control, stalking, spyware misuse and other technology-enabled harms. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The National Police Chiefs' Council (together with our networks with the College of Policing and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner's Office) supports the collaboration by facilitating engagement with policing stakeholders across the UK. NPCC has helped identify and connect the research team with relevant contacts within police forces and has circulated information about the study through policing networks, enabling participation from officers and specialists working on stalking, harassment, domestic abuse and digital investigations. This support has enabled the research team to reach a broader set of policing stakeholders than would otherwise have been possible, ensuring that the study captures insights from practitioners across multiple forces and specialist units. |
| Impact | Engagement with policing practitioners and specialist officers to gather evidence on operational practices, training needs and emerging digital abuse risks. |
| Start Year | 2024 |
| Description | Refuge |
| Organisation | Refuge |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Refuge is offering us their data on tech abuse plus access to their support service expertise. |
| Collaborator Contribution | - Data - Expertise - Networks |
| Impact | n/a/ |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | Respect - Collaboration on Technology-Facilitated Abuse Perpetrator Intervention |
| Organisation | Respect (Domestic Violence Prevention Service) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We collaborate with Respect, the UK's national membership organisation for domestic abuse perpetrator programmes and frontline services working to end violence against women and girls. Respect sets national standards for perpetrator intervention programmes, accredits behaviour-change services, and provides training and guidance to practitioners working with perpetrators of domestic abuse. Our team contributes research expertise on technology-facilitated abuse perpetration, examining how perpetrators misuse digital technologies such as spyware, smart home devices, social media and location tracking to control and monitor victims. Through this collaboration, we support knowledge exchange between research and frontline practice, ensuring that emerging evidence on technology-facilitated abuse informs perpetrator intervention work. We have contributed research insights through presentations, practitioner engagement activities, and discussions with Respect staff and programme providers, including work with Respect's Head of Services on a research-informed vlog exploring technology-facilitated abuse perpetration. Our research has also informed the development of training on technology-facilitated abuse for Respect-accredited behaviour change programmes, including the rollout of self-paced and face-to-face practitioner training modules. The collaboration also supports ongoing research studies on technology-facilitated abuse and perpetrator behaviour, including practitioner engagement and recruitment through Respect's network of accredited perpetrator intervention programmes. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Respect contributes extensive practice-based expertise and sector leadership in the field of domestic abuse perpetrator interventions. As the UK's national organisation accrediting perpetrator behaviour-change programmes and supporting frontline services working to end violence against women and girls, Respect provides insights into how technology-facilitated abuse manifests within real cases handled by perpetrator programmes. Through its national network of Respect-accredited programmes and practitioner organisations, Respect facilitates engagement between the research team and frontline professionals working directly with perpetrators. This enables the research to be informed by practical experiences from intervention programmes, including emerging patterns of technology misuse and challenges faced by practitioners addressing tech-enabled abuse. Respect also supports knowledge exchange and translation of research into practice, including discussions with programme providers, contributions to practitioner-focused dissemination activities, and collaboration on the development of training and learning materials addressing technology-facilitated abuse within perpetrator behaviour-change programmes |
| Impact | 1) Development of a practitioner training package on technology-facilitated abuse perpetration, created by the UCL Gender + Tech Research Lab for use within Respect-accredited behaviour change programmes. The package includes training slides, structured activities, facilitator guidance, participant handouts, and a detailed delivery script to support practitioners delivering the training. 2) Integration of this material into self-paced and face-to-face training delivered to practitioners working in perpetrator intervention programmes, supporting frontline professionals in recognising and addressing the misuse of digital technologies in abusive relationships. 3) Knowledge exchange activities with practitioner networks, including presentations and discussions within perpetrator intervention communities such as the European Network for the Work with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence. 4) Joint dissemination activities, including a recorded vlog discussion with Respect's Head of Services on technology-facilitated abuse perpetration. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Tech Abuse Conference 2026 - Sponsorship and Support |
| Organisation | |
| Department | Google UK |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | The research supported by this award enabled the organisation of the Tech Abuse Conference 2026, an international knowledge-exchange event focused on addressing technology-facilitated abuse and digital gender-based violence. As a result of the research programme and the networks developed through the award, the conference has secured financial sponsorship and support from several organisations across the technology, policy, and civil society sectors, including Google, Match.com, UN Women, UNFPA, Kaspersky (more are yet to be confirmed!). The event will take place at London City Hall in May 2026, bringing together approximately 250 participants from academia, industry, policy and civil society to discuss technological harms, prevention strategies and policy responses. The conference will be opened by the Mayor of London, reflecting the policy relevance and public impact of the research programme. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partner organisations contribute financial sponsorship, sector expertise, and participation in knowledge-exchange activities supporting the organisation of the Tech Abuse Conference 2026. |
| Impact | This collaboration has enabled the organisation of the Tech Abuse Conference 2026, an international knowledge-exchange event focused on addressing technology-facilitated abuse and digital gender-based violence. The conference will bring together approximately 250 participants from academia, industry, policy, policing, civil society organisations and survivor-support services, creating a platform for cross-sector dialogue on digital harms and prevention strategies. Outputs and outcomes include: - Organisation of a major international conference hosted at London City Hall, opened by the Mayor of London, highlighting the policy relevance of the research. - Cross-sector engagement between researchers, technology companies, policymakers, NGOs and frontline practitioners working on technology-facilitated abuse. - Workshops and expert discussions led by partners including technology companies, international organisations and civil society groups addressing issues such as online safety, image-based abuse, and digital coercive control. - Creation of a sustained network of stakeholders working on technology-facilitated abuse across research, policy, industry and practice. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Tech Abuse Conference 2026 - Sponsorship and Support |
| Organisation | UN Women |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | The research supported by this award enabled the organisation of the Tech Abuse Conference 2026, an international knowledge-exchange event focused on addressing technology-facilitated abuse and digital gender-based violence. As a result of the research programme and the networks developed through the award, the conference has secured financial sponsorship and support from several organisations across the technology, policy, and civil society sectors, including Google, Match.com, UN Women, UNFPA, Kaspersky (more are yet to be confirmed!). The event will take place at London City Hall in May 2026, bringing together approximately 250 participants from academia, industry, policy and civil society to discuss technological harms, prevention strategies and policy responses. The conference will be opened by the Mayor of London, reflecting the policy relevance and public impact of the research programme. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partner organisations contribute financial sponsorship, sector expertise, and participation in knowledge-exchange activities supporting the organisation of the Tech Abuse Conference 2026. |
| Impact | This collaboration has enabled the organisation of the Tech Abuse Conference 2026, an international knowledge-exchange event focused on addressing technology-facilitated abuse and digital gender-based violence. The conference will bring together approximately 250 participants from academia, industry, policy, policing, civil society organisations and survivor-support services, creating a platform for cross-sector dialogue on digital harms and prevention strategies. Outputs and outcomes include: - Organisation of a major international conference hosted at London City Hall, opened by the Mayor of London, highlighting the policy relevance of the research. - Cross-sector engagement between researchers, technology companies, policymakers, NGOs and frontline practitioners working on technology-facilitated abuse. - Workshops and expert discussions led by partners including technology companies, international organisations and civil society groups addressing issues such as online safety, image-based abuse, and digital coercive control. - Creation of a sustained network of stakeholders working on technology-facilitated abuse across research, policy, industry and practice. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | Tech Abuse Conference 2026 - Sponsorship and Support |
| Organisation | United Nations Population Fund |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | The research supported by this award enabled the organisation of the Tech Abuse Conference 2026, an international knowledge-exchange event focused on addressing technology-facilitated abuse and digital gender-based violence. As a result of the research programme and the networks developed through the award, the conference has secured financial sponsorship and support from several organisations across the technology, policy, and civil society sectors, including Google, Match.com, UN Women, UNFPA, Kaspersky (more are yet to be confirmed!). The event will take place at London City Hall in May 2026, bringing together approximately 250 participants from academia, industry, policy and civil society to discuss technological harms, prevention strategies and policy responses. The conference will be opened by the Mayor of London, reflecting the policy relevance and public impact of the research programme. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Partner organisations contribute financial sponsorship, sector expertise, and participation in knowledge-exchange activities supporting the organisation of the Tech Abuse Conference 2026. |
| Impact | This collaboration has enabled the organisation of the Tech Abuse Conference 2026, an international knowledge-exchange event focused on addressing technology-facilitated abuse and digital gender-based violence. The conference will bring together approximately 250 participants from academia, industry, policy, policing, civil society organisations and survivor-support services, creating a platform for cross-sector dialogue on digital harms and prevention strategies. Outputs and outcomes include: - Organisation of a major international conference hosted at London City Hall, opened by the Mayor of London, highlighting the policy relevance of the research. - Cross-sector engagement between researchers, technology companies, policymakers, NGOs and frontline practitioners working on technology-facilitated abuse. - Workshops and expert discussions led by partners including technology companies, international organisations and civil society groups addressing issues such as online safety, image-based abuse, and digital coercive control. - Creation of a sustained network of stakeholders working on technology-facilitated abuse across research, policy, industry and practice. |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | UNFPA "3rd Global TFGBV Symposium" Advisory Group |
| Organisation | United Nations Population Fund |
| Country | United States |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Leonie Tanczer participated in UNFPA's TFGBV Symposium Advisory Group meetings in preparation for the upcoming third global symposium on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) in New York. In this capacity, I contributed insights and recommendations to shape the symposium's programme and objectives, helping to ensure the event addresses critical issues surrounding technology and gender-based violence. |
| Collaborator Contribution | My partners have agreed to host one of my PhD students as an intern, providing valuable opportunities for hands-on experience and contributing to the student's professional development in the field of research related to the collaboration. |
| Impact | Internship for my PhD student |
| Start Year | 2025 |
| Description | "Digitale Gewalt" (Digital Violence) Network Meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I presented our UCL research at the German "Digitale Gewalt" (Digital Violence) network meeting, which is an informal network of domestic violence and abuse charities and refuges in Germany interested in tackling tech abuse. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | "Pulling the Strings" Podcast |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed for this podcast and our UCL research on tech abuse has been featured in the new "Pulling the Strings: Conversations About Coercive Control" podcast by the UKRI Violence, Abuse and Mental Health Network (VAMHN). See Episode #2. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://open.spotify.com/show/5BAtMJazQFFLPnKU2Ruuod |
| Description | ACM Europe Summer School |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | PhD Student Adrianne Thompson attended the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) Europe Summer School on Accessible and Inclusive Technologies at Birmingham City University |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://europe.acm.org/seasonal-schools/accessible-inclusive-technologies/2024 |
| Description | APC Roundtable |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Gender + Tech PhD Candidate Akhil Polamarasetty contributed to the recent APC-hosted roundtable. You can read the key takeaways on integrating policy, research and technical standards in gender approaches to cybersecurity. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.apc.org/en/news/integrating-policy-research-and-technical-standards-gender-approaches-cy... |
| Description | Attended Respect's Accredited Members Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Attended Respect's Accredited Members Forum - a monthly discussion forum for Respect-accredited domestic abuse support services - and presented our planned research on perpetration of technology-facilitated abuse. I also informed them on our progress to date and invited them to contact us if they are interested in participating or would like to enquire further. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Attended seminar on "Beyond prevalence: how to adapt and optimize GBV measurement for scale up" run by Johns Hopkins University Center for Global Women's Health and Gender Equity, the Newcomb Institute, EMERGE (Evidence-based Measures of Empowerment for Research on Gender Equality), Kenyatta University and International Center for Reproductive Health Kenya (ICHR-K) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Attended seminar where there were different presentations on how they are measuring gender-based violence and how we can optimise this. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | BBC One's Crimewatch Live (Episode 7, Series 18) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed and featured our research on BBC One's Crimewatch Live (Episode 7, Series 18) this Tuesday, 10 October 2023; |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001rbj5 |
| Description | Binding Hook Blog Post |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In this blog post, Dr Andi Brown (Monash University) summarises the main points of a peer-reviewed article published in Violence Against Women and co-authored with Dr Diarmaid Harkin (Deakin University) and myself. This write-up gives a useful overview of the need for a greater focus on "safety by design". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://bindinghook.com/articles-binding-edge/safety-by-design-could-prevent-domestic-abuse-through-... |
| Description | Blog on research visit to Australia - UCL Public Policy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I wrote a blog on UCL Public Police reflecting on Dr Tanczer and I's visit to Australia, the professional connections we made there, the knowledge exchange activities we participated in, and our 'take home message' for the tech abuse landscape in the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Blog post on VISION website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I published a blog post on the Violence, Health and Society (VISION) website entitled "Tech-facilitated abuse and the 'new normal'". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://vision.city.ac.uk/news/tech-facilitated-abuse-and-the-new-normal/ |
| Description | Burgenland Violence Protection Centre |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer delivered a lecture on "The danger of IoT in the context of (ex-)partner violence" at the Gewaltschutzzentrum Burgenland (Violence Protection Centre) in Austria on 10 October 2024, as part of the centre's 25th anniversary celebration. The lecture explored the risks associated with IoT technology in cases of domestic abuse, raising awareness among attendees. While specific outcomes or impacts are not yet known, the event likely sparked important discussions and heightened awareness of this critical issue in the context of domestic violence and tech abuse. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.gewaltschutzzentrum.at/burgenland/ |
| Description | Citation in Islington Tribune |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was cited in the Islington Tribune to discuss when everyday tech is weaponised against women. In the news item, I call for greater awareness of the technologies we all rely on daily. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.islingtontribune.co.uk/article/when-our-everyday-tech-is-weaponised-against-women |
| Description | Cited in "Republik" News Article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A study on parental control apps, led by Eva-Maria Maier and co-authore by Leonie Tanczer, has been featured in Republik, a renowned Swiss publication. The articles, "Mit dieser App weiss Ihr Partner alles über Sie" ("With This App, Your Partner Knows Everything About You") and "Wenn der Kundendienst bei der Straftat hilft" ("When Customer Support Assists in Crime"), explore the potential misuse of these technologies, particularly in relation to privacy breaches and abuse. This work draws upon the findings of Maier's research, which was published in the Proceedings on Privacy Enhancing Technologies (PoPETs) in 2025. The article has sparked discussions around the ethical implications of parental control apps, with a focus on how such technologies can be exploited for monitoring partners rather than safeguarding children. The study's inclusion in Republik helps raise awareness of these issues, encouraging both public and professional reflection on privacy and digital safety. https://www.republik.ch/2024/11/19/mit-dieser-app-weiss-ihr-partner-alles-ueber-sie https://www.republik.ch/2024/11/20/wenn-der-kundendienst-bei-der-straftat-hilft |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024,2025 |
| URL | https://www.republik.ch/2024/11/20/wenn-der-kundendienst-bei-der-straftat-hilft |
| Description | Criminology Presentation at Monash University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | We presented our research at the Criminology Department at Monash University during our research visit in Australia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | DSIT-hosted roundtable on the future of UK Science |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I presented at a Department for Science, Innovation and Technology-hosted roundtable on the future of UK Science, which involved Government Chief Scientific Adviser Professor Dame Angela McLean and DSIT Director General for Science, Innovation and Growth Alexandra Jones. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Delivered bespoke tech abuse training for Respect-accredited member organisations |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In collaboration with Respect, I delivered half-day online training on tech abuse for Respect-accredited member organisations across the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Delivered online training on working with tech abuse perpetrators for Respect-accredited Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programmes in the UK |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In collaboration with Respect, Dr Tanczer and I co-delivered online training on working with perpetrators for facilitators, managers, and service leads of Respect-accredited Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programmes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Delivered training on working with tech abuse perpetrators for Redbridge Council's Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programme |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Tanczer and I co-delivered a training session on working with perpetrators of tech abuse to Redbridge's Respect-accredited Domestic Abuse Perpetrator Programme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) one-day Cyber Security Policy Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The Head of Policy Impact Unit Jen Reed and PhD Student Akhil Polamarasetty represented our research lab at the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) one-day Cyber Security Policy Conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Discussant at Monash Emerging Technologies Research Lab (ETLab) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | During our Australia research visit, I acted as a discussant at the Monash Emerging Technologies Research Lab (ETLab) monthly talk on women's safety on the Metaverse. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://events.humanitix.com/don-t-tell-us-to-leave-will-women-ever-be-safe-on-metaverse |
| Description | Engaged with the "Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women: Towards Common Methodologies for Measurement" event, organised by UN Women in partnership with UNFPA, WHO and the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-based Online Harassment and Abuse |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Engaged with users at event discussing TFGBV measurement, it included introductions to the why we need to measure TFGBV, and an overview of current methods and data. There was also a panel and a q&a on why we need to measure TFGBV, and the progress being made. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Engaged with users at Refuge's launch for their Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment Strategy |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Engaged with other relevant user at Refuge's Tech and Economic abuse strategy launch. With this we heard their new strategy and broke into groups to discuss our expectations for the strategy, how we think we can help with this strategy/how we envision our partnership with Refuge with this strategy. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Engagement in IEEE Standard Development |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I am a voting member of the IEEE Social Implications of Technology Standards Committee's "Recommended Practice for Principles for Design and Operation Addressing Technology-Facilitated Inter-personal Control" (P2987), which aims to design a technical standard against tech abuse. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://standards.ieee.org/ieee/2987/10620/ |
| Description | European Rights & Risks Forum |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Research Assistant and UCL Master student Maya Ashkenazi participated in the "European Rights & Risks: Stakeholder Engagement Forum", organised by the Digital Trust & Safety Partnership and the Global Network Initiative. The event focused on assessing systemic risks to fundamental rights as part of implementing the Digital Services Act (DSA). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://dtspartnership.org/ |
| Description | Expert Virtual Workshop - EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer participated in the Expert Virtual Workshop "Towards the Establishment of Joint Principles and the Advancement of Research Collaboration on Technology-Facilitated Gender-based Violence" organised by the Data Governance and Technology Platforms Working Group of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council (TTC); |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://futurium.ec.europa.eu/en/EU-US-TTC/wg5 |
| Description | Gave presentation on Tech Abuse as part of Home Office's ETSSU speaker series |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | The lab's policy advisor and head of UCL's Policy Impact Unit (Jen Reed) and I gave a presentation to colleagues at the Home Office all about tech abuse and how it can be tackled. This drew upon our Delphi study & wider work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Gender and Tech Monthly Newsletter |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Since 2018, I run a monthly newsletter on the topic of tech abuse which as of March 2024 has more than 1100 international subscribers. I use the newsletter as a tool to keep interested audiences up-to-date with our research progress, any latest developments in the space of technology-facilitated abuse and the Internet of Things, as well as training and support opportunities. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018,2019,2020,2021,2022,2023,2024 |
| URL | https://us15.campaign-archive.com/home/?u=5fc63c9cf03878c3ab01efd9c&id=2fd178402e |
| Description | Global Symposium on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I got invited and presented at the United Nations Population Fund's (UNFPA) second Global Symposium on Technology-facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), co-convened by the Australian eSafety Commissioner, which was an online 3-day event that attracted over 1000 international attendees. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/hashtag/TFGBVSymposium24?src=hashtag_click |
| Description | Google Workshop in Paris |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer attended Google's Research in Online Trust & Safety (T&S) workshop in Paris this April. Google hosted 25 researchers across disciplines with expertise in T&S-related research areas. The event's goal was to bring together scholars working in siloed fields (misinformation, child safety, violent extremism, privacy, at-risk users, and more) and to share details on projects and insights across a broader T&S ecosystem. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Home Office - NCII Workshops |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer participated in two workshops on non-consensual intimate images (NCII) ecosystems and incentives/levers, organised by the UK Home Office. One workshop was conducted in collaboration with the Center for Humane Technology, and the other was conducted with Mostly Human. During these workshops, Leonie delivered a presentation on the challenges and strategies for addressing NCII, focusing on the role of technology platforms, legal frameworks, and victim support systems. The discussions aimed to identify effective approaches for preventing and responding to NCII, and Leonie's contributions helped to shape the ongoing work in this area. The meeting was organised by the Head of Strategy, Emerging Technology, Safety & Security Unit at the UK Home Office, fostering collaboration between various stakeholders in this field. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Home Office's Interpersonal Abuse Unit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | We are actively working with the Home Office's Interpersonal Abuse Unit and provide them with regular input, including on funding/research streams for the Tackling the Economic Impacts of Domestic Abuse (TEIDA) Fund the unit is overlooking. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/autumn-statement-2023/autumn-statement-2023-html |
| Description | Impact Award presentation to the UKRI FLF Development Network |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer delivered an Impact Award presentation to the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowships (FLF) Development Network. The presentation aimed to showcase the outcomes and impacts of Leonie's research on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), highlighting how the findings contribute to policy development, enhance professional practice, and inform training programs. She also emphasised to the attendees how they could maximise their chances of being selected for the 2025 UKRI FLF Impact Awards. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | International Women's Day panel at University of Essex |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presented as part of a panel on the "Harms to Women's Rights Online in the Context of the Digital Economy" at the University of Essex for international Women's Day. Aimed at human rights students (mainly postgrad) discussing tech abuse and the implications of tech on abusive situations. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Interview and Quote in Forbes |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed and have featured quotes on my contribution to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee Report "Connected Tech: Smart of Sinister" (https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/378/culture-media-and-sport-committee/news/198637/connected-tech-smart-or-sinister-cms-committee-publishes-government-response-to-report/) in Forbes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.forbes.com/sites/emmawoollacott/2023/08/07/uk-warns-of-stalking-risks-from-connected-dev... |
| Description | Interview and Quote in Sky News |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed and have featured quotes on my contribution to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee Report "Connected Tech: Smart of Sinister" (https://committees.parliament.uk/committee/378/culture-media-and-sport-committee/news/198637/connected-tech-smart-or-sinister-cms-committee-publishes-government-response-to-report/) in Sky News. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://news.sky.com/story/chilling-surge-in-use-of-smart-speakers-and-baby-monitors-to-carry-out-do... |
| Description | Interview for BBC News Article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed and our research cited in a BBC News article entitled "Controversial clothes hook spy cameras for sale on Amazon". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-67652317 |
| Description | Keynote at IoT Security Foundation Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | The IoT Security Foundation Conference returned to London on the 23rd October 2024. This year's theme was "IoT Security: Past, Present and Future", exploring the evolution and future of securing the Internet of Things. The Gender and Tech Research Lab was present at the event, offering a presentation on "IoT Tech Abuse - Protecting At-Risk Communities". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTu7WuTXDBA&t=72s |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lTu7WuTXDBA&t=72s |
| Description | Led Policy 101 masterclass with UCL Computer Science and UCL Faculty of Engineering Sciences |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Led a masterclass event on Policy, working with the lead of the Policy Impact Unit. Included intro to policy and how to engage with it, the reflections in relation to the Gender & Tech team, and also what professional support is available. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Leonie Tanczer quoted in the Financial Times |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer has been interviewed and quoted for this Financial Times article on why some homeowners and buyers are resisting the smart-home trend and choosing "dumb" homes without Internet-connected devices. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://propertylistings.ft.com/propertynews/united-states/7280-why-dumbing-down-your-house-could-be... |
| Description | London's Violence Reduction Unit "Social Media and Violence Academic Roundtable" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Our grant's Policy Advisor, Jen Reed, fed into the "Social Media and Violence Academic Roundtable" organised by London's Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) and the London Research & Policy Partnership (LRaPP).; |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-strategies/communities-and-social-justice/londons-violence-redu... |
| Description | MAEVe Presentation at the University of Melbourne |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We presented our research at the Melbourne Research Alliance to End Violence against Women and their Children. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqSh1v9T4RM |
| Description | Met with the Home Office to discuss the impact of our Delphi Study and our work on Tech Abuse |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Met with the Online VAWG policy officer and others within the Interpersonal Abuse unit within the Home Office to present on our current work. Discussed the Delphi study (and met again to highlight the results), the planned work relating to working with perpetrators, and various bills that do not mention tech abuse but consider other cyber crimes. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
| Description | NZZ Format Documentary: "Vom Partner überwacht" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Swiss TV-Series NZZ Format recently released a 30-minute documentary examining the role of technology in gender-based violence. In the film, Dr Leonie Tanczer discusses how Internet of Things (IoT) devices can be exploited as tools for abuse, highlighting the pressing need for heightened awareness and action in digital safety. The documentary aims to inform viewers about the intersection of technology and safety. While specific outcomes or impacts have not been reported, it is anticipated that the film will stimulate discussions and increase awareness regarding digital safety and the potential misuse of IoT devices. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtxp6sFHUQU |
| Description | Netzpolitik.org - mSpy News Article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer and Eva-Maria Maier, a bachelor's student affiliated with our lab, provided expert insights to German news outlets Netzpolitik and Tagesschau regarding the spyware app mSpy, as the app featured in a recent study that we published (https://petsymposium.org/popets/2025/popets-2025-0052.php). Their analysis shed light on the app's potential for misuse, including unauthorised surveillance and data breaches, highlighting significant risks of technology-facilitated abuse. This coverage raised public awareness about the ethical and privacy concerns associated with such spyware applications. a) https://netzpolitik.org/2025/mspy-leak-vom-partner-verwanzt/ b) https://netzpolitik.org/2025/mspy-leak-kundenservice-gibt-tipps-fuer-straftaten/ |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://netzpolitik.org/2025/mspy-leak-vom-partner-verwanzt/ |
| Description | No More Week Conference (Silicon Saviours or Digital Threats? Exploring Tech's Impact on DASV) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented a panel on the Internet of Things and how online abuse is getting simpler. Presented the session as part of an international conference focused on ending domestic and sexual violence (5th March 2024). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Northern Ireland (NI) Women in Tech Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Gender + Tech PhD candidate Adrianne Thompson participated in the AI for Good panel at the 2025 Northern Ireland Women in Tech Conference. During the panel, Adrianne discussed critical ethical considerations surrounding AI, its real-world applications, and the need to ensure that technology is developed and used in ways that benefit humanity in responsible and transformative ways. The conversation was thought-provoking, offering valuable insights into how AI can be leveraged to create a positive social impact while addressing the potential risks and challenges associated with its use. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.womeninbusinessni.com/events/women-in-tech-conference |
| Description | Online workshop on Researching Perpetrators of Online Gender-Based Violence |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Participated in the final online workshop for |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.tedic.org/en/online-gender-based-violence-definitions-manifestations-and-perpetrators/ |
| Description | Oxford Internet Institute's (OII) "Care, Autonomy & Technology" event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I presented and participated in the Oxford Internet Institute's (OII) "Care, Autonomy & Technology" event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Participated in Ofcom Webinar focusing on the Online Safety Act |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Attended Ofcom webinar discussing the Online Safety Act and evaluated the different safety measures proposed in it. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Participated in Ofcom meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Attended Ofcom meeting regarding their Plan of Work and their priorities for 2025. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Participated in Ofcom: Protecting and empowering women and girls online event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | Ofcom roundtable event attended by industry people, domestic abuse commissioner's office on tackling online violence against women and girls, |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Participated in REPHRAIN workshop (Safeguarding and Privacy Clinic) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited to and participated in a workshop run by REPHRAIN on privacy clinics, and the necessary safeguarding protocols needed to protect those running and those accessing the clinics, as well as the third sector organisations involved. There was a focus on the data of people involved in the clinics, their mental/psychological heath and their physical security/safety. Three different groups gave feedback on these topics to inform the clinics. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Participated in Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence Community of Practice kick-off event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The event was organised by the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) and brought together practitioners, researchers, and tech companies working on TFGBV and aimed at helping practitioners align around shared terminology, methodologies, and practices. Two members of our research team contributed to the discussions as experts regarding terminology and methodology issues. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Participated in a stakeholder engagement event about smart home tech abuse |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Participated in a smart home tech abuse workshop and stakeholder engagement event organised by Newcastle University. Contributed as an expert to breakout sessions discussing the risks of smart home tech abuse and how we can develop effective responses. The break-out discussions raised many important and productive issues and suggestions that the University's AGENCY project will take on board to guide societally informed technology-oriented solutions to help mitigate smart home harms. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Participated in bleepDigital's panel discussion |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Participated in an expert panel discussion on AI bias, queer data, and security challenges in FemTech, hosted by bleepDigital and the London Vagina Museum as part of the "Tech Back Your Bits!" event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.outsavvy.com/event/20054/tech-back-your-bits |
| Description | Participated in technical workshop on Tackling VAWG with AI run by the Home Office and the Office of the Police Chief Scientific Adviser and the Accelerated Capability Environment (ACE) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Participated in a hybrid workshop focusing on different elements of VAWG and how AI can be used to detect and deter these acts of violence. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Participated in the 2023 VISION Consortium Annual Conference "Responding to Violence Across the Life Course" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | I participated in the 2023 VISION Consortium Annual Conference, "Responding to Violence Across the Life Course"; |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://vision.city.ac.uk/vision-annual-conference/ |
| Description | Participated in the Global Symposium on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Three members of our team participated in the Global Symposium on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV), organised by UNFPA and the eSafety Commissioner. The project's PI gave an oral presentation on technology-facilitated abuse, while all three members participated in breakout rooms where they discussed with other presenters and attendees issues around TFGBV. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Participated in week-long Data Study Group run by the Alan Turing Institute |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Participated in a week-long 'hackathon' style data science event where we used real data to assess AI capabilities relating to the current job landscape. While topically not as related to my work, it allowed me to learn new data science skills that can be applied to a social science domain. I was part of the few participants that presented our approaches and findings to both the data study group team at the Turing and to the external stakeholders comprising both industry and governmental agencies. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2026 |
| URL | https://www.turing.ac.uk/events/data-study-group-january-2026 |
| Description | Participated in workshop on LLMs in Social Science Research |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I attended a week-long workshop at the University of Oxford talking about how we can use LLMs for Social Science research. This involved having lectures from industry professionals, research talks from other academics in the social sciences, and working on various group projects applying LLMs to the chosen topic. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://llmsforsocialscience.net/ |
| Description | Participated in workshop on the Use of AI within the Police Response to Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I attended and participated in the one-day workshop on the use of AI within the police response to Violence Against Women & Girls (VAWG). This was done as part of a UKRI Policy Fellowship: College of Policing Measuring Harm for Violence Against Women and Girls Social Research Fellowship. This involved various academics and those from the National Centre for VAWG and Public Protection discussing both the current context of our research in this area, the perspectives of practitioners, the risks of AI in this field, and the potential for the future. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Participation in Roundtable/Panel - Mayor of London Violence Reduction Unit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Kyle Beadle participated in Mayor of London Violence Reduction Unit LRaPP's Academic Roundtable on Social Media and Violence as a panellist; 18 April 2024 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Policy 101 Masterclass for UCL's Department of Computer Science |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Jen Reed, the Head of the Policy Impact Unit and our Policy Advisor for this grant, together with Leonie Tanczer delivered a hybrid "Policy 101" Masterclass for the Department of Computer Science, which aimed at making other colleagues, including PostDocs and early-career scholars aware of ways to engage with policy officials and highlighted best practices and examples. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation at European Conferences of Domestic Violence (ECDV) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I presented the findings of our Delphi study at the European Conferences of Domestic Violence (ECDV). My research group had several abstracts on tech abuse accepted at the conference, and I coordinated more than 5 panels on the topic at the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://ecdv.hi.is/ |
| Description | Presentation at IBM's Tech for Justice Seminar series. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | I delivered a presentation as part of IBM's "Tech for Racial and Social Justice" speaker series during which I shared outcomes of our research on tech abuse and proposed activities and measures IBM could implement to tackle the problem. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation at Oxford Internet Institute |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I presented our research on the "boundary questions" that tech abuse creates and provided an overview of the current research landscape at an Oxford Internet Institute (OII) Seminar in May 2023. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.oii.ox.ac.uk/news-events/events/technology-facilitated-abuse-tech-abuse-in-the-context-o... |
| Description | Presentation at the "IoT Coercive Control and Domestic Abuse Online Conference" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Supporters |
| Results and Impact | I delivered a presentation at the "IoT Coercive Control and Domestic Abuse Online Conference"; |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://aspidacmg.wixsite.com/iot-conference |
| Description | Presentation at the 10th Biennial Surveillance Studies Network / Surveillance & Society Conference |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Kyle Beadle delivered the presentation "The Work of Altering One Another: Peer Surveillance, Data Exposure and Social Identity" at the 10th Biennial Surveillance Studies Network / Surveillance & Society Conference; 28-31 May 2024; Ljubljana, Slovenia. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation at the Advances in Financial Technologies 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Kyle Beadle delivered the presentation "Kafka's Wallet: Building Trust Despite Financial Surveillance in CBDCs" at the Advances in Financial Technology 2024; 22-25 September 2024; Vienna, Austria |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Presentation at the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | I delivered a presentation on our tech abuse research and suggested potential avenues the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) Digital Consumer Protection Group could take to tackle tech abuse nationally. The presentation resulted in the establishment of a dedicated working group on the topic that I am now also part of. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation at the Network Against Gendered Violence at Deakin University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We presented our research at the Deakin Network Against Gendered Violence at Deakin University. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.deakin.edu.au/research/research-institutes-and-centres/collaborative-research-groups/dea... |
| Description | Presented Cyberstalking Research to Domestic Abuse Commissioners Office |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Presented our research looking at the prevalence of different forms of stalking across time as well as the victim/survivor's perceptions of these experiences. Presented this at a lunch & learn session to the Domestic Abuse Commissioner's Office |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | Presented at a conference for practitioners and policymakers in domestic abuse |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Delivered a presentation at the Fourth Annual Tackling Domestic Violence and Abuse Conference 2024, which was organised by the Institute of Government & Public Police. The presentation was followed by panel discussion/Q & A. The audience consisted of domestic abuse practitioners and policymakers. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://igpp.org.uk/event/Tackling-Domestic-Violence-and-Abuse-Conference-2024/speakers |
| Description | Presented at an event focusing on Desmitificant l'amor: Prevenció de la ciberviolència (Demystifying Love: Preventing Cyberviolence) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | I was invited to give a presentation at Ramon Llull University's event on Desmitificant l'amor: Prevenció de la ciberviolència (Demystifying Love: Preventing Cyberviolence) - run by their Grup de Recerca Parella i Família (Couple and Family Research Group). I led a talk on tech abuse where I introduced university students and other participants to technology-facilitated abuse and shared key insights from our most recent research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://cms.blanquerna.edu/sites/default/files/2025-12/programa-de-la-jornada.pdf |
| Description | Presented at the MyCWA Engage Ambassadors meeting |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Presented at a meeting of professionals across Cheshire who are wanting to engage more with working with those who harm, on issues around technology-facilitated abuse. The meeting was organised by Cheshire-based domestic abuse charity MyCWA. The presentation was followed by Q&A and attendees reported that it was a valuable and informative session for them. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presented on panel on Deepfakes and Disinformation at Kaspersky NEXT |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Attended Kaspersky's Europe press event, spoke on a panel about deepfakes and disinformation, gave interviews with journalists relating to this and our work. Resulted in 1 news article so far. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Press Release on new PhD |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Press release surrounding new PhD post (Anjuli Kaul) in collaboration with Domestic Abuse Commissioner's Office. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.ucl.ac.uk/computer-science/news/2024/oct/ucl-computer-science-researcher-partners-domest... |
| Description | Privacy International's Technology Pill Podcast |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I was interviewed for the digital rights charity Privacy International's Technology Pill Podcast which ran a dedicated episode on "tech assisted abuse". |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://privacyinternational.org/video/5103/tech-assisted-abuse-how-smart-devices-can-facilitate-abu... |
| Description | Privacy International's screening of "Preconceived" & Panel Discussion |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | On International Safe Abortion Day in 2024, Privacy International organised a screening of the documentary "Preconceived" at the Vagina Museum. The event was followed by a panel discussion featuring Leonie Tanczer. The intended purpose of the activity was to raise awareness about the intersections of technology, security, and reproductive rights, fostering informed discussions on these critical issues. While specific outcomes or impacts have not been publicly detailed, the event successfully sparked questions and discussions among attendees, highlighting the importance of integrating technological perspectives into conversations about reproductive rights. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://x.com/privacyint/status/1838135722131247303 |
| Description | Program Committee Member for Gender, Online Safety, and Sexuality Workshop (GOSS) |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Kyle Beadle acted as a Program Committee Member for the Gender, Online Safety, and Sexuality Workshop (GOSS) co-located with the Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | REPHRAIN Privacy Clinic Event |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | I participated in the National Research Centre on Privacy, Harm Reduction and Adversarial Influence Online (REPHRAIN) Privacy Clinic Event, which aimed to establish best practice considerations for the installation of privacy clinics for tech abuse victims and survivors in the UK. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Refuge Tech Safety Summit 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Third sector organisations |
| Results and Impact | UK domestic abuse charity Refuge hosted their first ever Tech Safety Summit on 24-25 September 2024, a two-day event specifically created to address rising cases of compltechnology-facilitatedted domestic abuse. Our Research Group was represented at the event, with Dr Leonie Tanczer having spoken on a panel entitled "What is Technology-Facilitated Abuse?" which featured Erica Olsen, Director at Safety Net Project, Karen Bentley, CEO of WESNET, and Emma Pickering, Head of Tech at Refuge. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://refuge.org.uk/news/refuge-hosts-inaugural-tech-safety-summit-a-two-day-event-to-raise-awaren... |
| Description | Roundtable at the Foundation for Science and Technology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer was invited to speak at a roundtable on the "Empowerment and Ethics at the Edge: the Benefits and Risks of Edge Technologies" at the Foundation for Science and Technology. A recording of this event is available https://www.foundation.org.uk/Events/2024/Empowerment-and-Ethics-at-the-Edge-the-Benefits-an Besides a write-up of the talk can be found in the FST Journal https://www.foundation.org.uk/Journal/2024/Volume-23-Issue-9 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.foundation.org.uk/Events/2024/Empowerment-and-Ethics-at-the-Edge-the-Benefits-an |
| Description | Roundtable hosted by Australia's eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant in London |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | On 14 November 2024, our group's Policy Advisor, Jen Reed, participated in a roundtable hosted by Australia's eSafety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, in London. The event was part of the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-Based Online Harassment and Abuse, which the UK is a member of. It focused on technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). While specific outcomes of the roundtable have not been publicly disclosed, such gatherings typically aim to foster collaboration among experts, share insights, and develop strategies to address and mitigate TFGBV. These discussions often lead to enhanced awareness, improved policies, and strengthened networks to combat technology-facilitated abuse. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Sky News Report on Stalkerware Phone Apps |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer spoke with the Sky News team to inform their recent news story on hidden stalkware apps being installed on phones, highlighting the risks associated with such software. The discussion also covered how parental control apps are being exploited by domestic abusers to track and control victims. The segment raised awareness about the intersection of technology and abuse, sparking further public conversation on the topic and potentially influencing future reporting and policy discussions around tech-facilitated abuse. News story: https://news.sky.com/story/i-thought-id-been-microchipped-how-abusers-spy-on-partners-with-parental-control-apps-13272199 Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TvHrwaqfrTw |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://news.sky.com/story/i-thought-id-been-microchipped-how-abusers-spy-on-partners-with-parental-... |
| Description | Spoke at roundtable on "Empowerment and Ethics at the Edge: the Benefits and Risks of Edge Technologies" at the Foundation for Science and Technology |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Three talks were given with differing perspectives on AI and the ethics of emerging technologies. There was also two different q&a sessions as part of this event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.eventbrite.ie/e/empowerment-ethics-at-the-edge-the-benefits-risks-of-edge-technologies-t... |
| Description | StratHack Participation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | We were contacted and met with the technology solution provider Eviden, who are working with the Met Police to deliver a StratHack on Online and Tech-Enabled VAWG in March. We attended the event and provided input and expert advice. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | Tech Abuse Workshop at the University of Melbourne |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | As part of my UKRI FLF, my team and I held a Tech Abuse Workshop (16 November 2023) at the University of Melbourne, which was part of a month-long research visit to Australia, a central hub for tech abuse research. During the workshop, findings of our Delphi study were discussed, and avenues for international collaboration and best practices around tech abuse were explored. A video recording that summarises the outcome of our research visit to Australia and includes footage of the workshop and interviews with policy stakeholders and frontline support organisation representatives is hosted on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvuPK-87P78&ab_channel=UCLComputerScience |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dvuPK-87P78&ab_channel=UCLComputerScience |
| Description | The Stylist - Smart Home Surveillance Article |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer contributed to an article in The Stylist that examined the potential misuse of smart home devices for surveillance and control within intimate relationships. The piece explored how abusers might exploit these technologies to monitor and manipulate victims, highlighting the urgent need for protective measures. Leonie's insights underscored the risks associated with the pervasive nature of connected devices and emphasised the importance of safeguarding personal privacy. This contribution aimed to inform readers about the darker aspects of smart technology and advocate for enhanced security protocols to prevent misuse. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www.stylist.co.uk/long-reads/smart-home-devices-surveillance/948208 |
| Description | UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship: Impact Video |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Dr Leonie Tanczer has been awarded a Future Leaders Fellowship Impact Award from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). This competitive Fellowship recognises early career researchers tackling critical societal challenges - such as tech abuse - through innovative work. As part of this honour, UKRI produced a short video clip highlighting the impact of Dr Tanczer's Gender and Tech Research Lab at UCL. The video has now been published online, providing a glimpse into the vital work the team is conducting on the intersection of technology, security and gender. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNxiguKzYLg |
| Description | UNFPA Internship |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | PhD student (Anjuli Kaul) is completing an internship with UNFPA in spring 2025. They will be based within the Programme Division in the TFGBV team. Engagement will span February - July 2025. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| Description | US-UK Knowledge Exchange Visit |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | My team spoke on the risks for women and girls derived from the Internet of Things (IoT) at a US-UK meeting day hosted by the UK Home Office and the Domestic Abuse Commissioner's Office as part of a two-day knowledge exchange visit with colleagues visiting from the US National Domestic Violence Hotline, the White House Gender Policy Council, NoMore, etc. Our Policy Advisor Jen Reed did a fantastic job providing a fifteen-minute presentation of our UCL Gender and Tech research, trends on tech abuse and what we might expect to see in future, as well as potential policy levers for change. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | United Nations Statistical Commission "Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women: Towards Common Methodologies for Measurement" |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | My research group and I attended the online side event in the lead-up to the next United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC) entitled "Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women: Towards Common Methodologies for Measurement", organised by UN Women in partnership with UNFPA, WHO and the Global Partnership for Action on Gender-based Online Harassment and Abuse; |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| Description | WDR COSMO Radio Interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Leonie Tanczer was interviewed by WDR COSMO, a German public radio station, on the topic of "Location tracking among couples and friends." The interview aimed to explore the ethical and privacy concerns surrounding the use of location-tracking technology in personal relationships. The discussion sparked significant interest in the implications of such technology on privacy and trust, resonating with a broad audience. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2025 |
| URL | https://www1.wdr.de/radio/cosmo/index.html |