Police in the ACT will discuss with NSW whether a new phone app aimed to helping victim-survivors discreetly document abuse and gain better access to support services could be extended for use in the territory.
The NSW police-developed Empower You app aims to change the way police respond to and prevent domestic violence. It's the first police-developed domestic violence reporting app of its type in Australia.
"We support any technology and developments that allow victims of family violence to be protected and supported," ACT police said in a statement.
"We remain engaged in discussions with the ACT government on projects to allow us to best serve the local community.
"It is unclear whether ACT residents would be able to access the Empower You app, and while there are not currently plans to implement a similar app here, ACT Policing will engage with NSW Police to assess the effectiveness and any ability to extend the app into the ACT."
Family violence incidents in the ACT spiked by 24 per cent in the first half of this year, compared with the same period last year.
The launch of the app comes after NSW police launched a four-day series of raids across the state, targeting the most dangerous domestic violence offenders.
Empower You joins a number of apps available to victim-survivors although to date all, like Daisy and Arc, have been produced by non-law enforcement stakeholders.
In Europe, the Vodaphone Foundation rolled out the free Bright Sky app in 2018 which performs a similar function. Three years ago in Queensland, Griffith University teamed up with others to develop the Be There app, which guides users in safe intervention strategies and allows for pin-protected journaling.
NSW Police Commissioner Karen Webb said the initial idea for their app came from an officer with extensive experience in dealing with and supporting victims of domestic violence in western Sydney.
"When we established the Reform Project, a call was put out to all staff to submit their ideas in terms of improving the victim experience and I couldn't be prouder seeing this concept from the team at Blacktown come to life," Commissioner Webb said.
"Sergeant Lisa Clemence's experiences with victims, particularly the story of a local survivor, Hayley, inspired the idea of putting all the right information in one place which is easily accessible at any time.
"She harnessed the coding and app developing skills of Sergeant Sam Morgan and together they created Empower You to include a private diary, a coded emergency signal feature, which can also send their GPS location, simple connectivity to triple zero for emergencies, and links local support services.
"Not only does this app allow for victims to easily document abuse, which is often difficult to recall when in distress or when it occurs over long periods of time, we believe this app has the potential to save lives."
A prototype was then further developed by technical experts within NSW police to ensure the functionalities comply with legislation, which allows the data to be presented at court as evidence.
Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith, from the domestic and family violence unit, said it's intended the Empower You app will do exactly that - empower victims of abuse.
"The 'Empower You' app was designed to be user friendly, intuitive, and interactive, while still having the best safety features for user privacy and discretion," Assistant Commissioner Smith said.
"It has inbuilt features to keep it private on any mobile, including passcodes and quick lock, and has a modest-looking icon that's designed not to alert perpetrators.
"The diary feature allows a victim to collect their thoughts - including photos of injuries and property damage, and screenshots of emails or messages - and document an incident when it happens, no matter how minor or whether they report it to police at that time.
"This is especially important in terms of coercive control, where we know a victim often feels helpless, so with 'Empower You', the abuse is clearly demonstrated, and the power comes back to the victim."
The app has been rigorously tested, including through consultation with experts in dealing with domestic and family violence victims, service providers, advocates, and other key stakeholders.
Domestic Violence NSW's Bridget Mottram congratulated NSW Police on the launch of the Empower You app and appreciated the opportunity to provide feedback as it was developed.
The 'Empower You' app is available in the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, and NSW Police officers have QR codes on their MobiPOL devices to link to the app in the stores to download.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on The Canberra Times website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. See our moderation policy here.
