Orbits — a field guide for survivor-centric interventions to tech facilitated gender violence
As technology-enabled gender-based violence (TGBV) rises globally, it is crucial to develop responses that take an intersectional, survivor-centric approach. Yet, there are key gaps across policy, technology and research that result in a failure to meet survivors’ needs, and often cause further exploitation. Survivors often describe how systems of justice
retraumatize them, while technology platforms are not designed in coordination with survivors and fail to center their lived experiences. By not accounting for individual agency, intersecting forms of oppression, and the plurality of experience, technology platforms only compound the harm and fail to effectively meet the needs of those impacted the most.
Extractive research and data collection processes, and algorithmic bias constitute additional structural problems that require systemic change.
Through this project, Chayn and End Cyber Abuse want to empower policymakers with guidance on intersectional, trauma-informed, survivor-centred responses to TGBV. This guide will explain the intersections between TGBV and public policy, present design principles, and offer a roadmap for policy creation. It will also highlight the importance of responsible data, showing what data can pose harm to women and the impact of gender-
disaggregation, data minimalism, and getting affirmative consent. Furthermore, it will discuss meaningful co-creation practices, sharing practical ways in which co-creation can be done with survivors and how to partner with people with under-represented identities. It will also give advice on cultivating survivor leadership. Findings will be shared through a field
guide, a podcast and several workshops held for a global audience.
Ultimately, Chayn and End Cyber Abuse wish to see systemic change to better meet survivors’ needs across a plurality of experiences. This includes well-designed laws that apply an intersectional lens, availability of alternatives for survivors who have experienced harm at the hands of the criminal legal system and training to help avoid victim-blaming and
more sensitive, trauma-informed legal support. It also includes better technology design and non-extractive research.
