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Beyond the screen: Tech leaders uniting to end VAWG
To mark International Women’s Day and continue the momentum of our TechTogether campaign, the Justice and Emergency Services programme spoke with leading professionals working across the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) sector. Together, we explored how technology and cross‑sector partnerships are strengthening responses to VAWG, and how tech professionals can drive meaningful social impact.
We’ve heard from:
- Clare Moody, APCC Joint Lead for Victims, and Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Avon and Somerset
- Nikki Kelly, Head of Practice at SafeLives
- Maria Aristondo, Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment Service Manager, Refuge
- Naomi Bolton, Account Director at Telent, and Chair of techUK’s VAWG and RASSO Working Group
Clare, how do tech partnerships help improve coordination between police, community services, and survivors?
Police and Crime Commissioners and Deputy Mayors for Policing and Crime see a collaborative, multi-sector approach as critical to tackling crime of all kinds. From ‘cyber-flashing’ to non-consensual sharing of intimate images and online stalking, violence against women and girls is increasingly facilitated by technology - but technology also has the power to help detect abuse in ways that wouldn’t previously have been possible.
Across policing we must grasp the opportunity that new technology affords us to transform the police and wider criminal justice system’s response to crime. If we are to earn greater trust and confidence among victims of crime and the wider public, it’s vital the tech sector and policing work in partnership to develop and make best use of cutting-edge tools to identify and pursue criminals and bring them to justice.
Nikki, can you tell us about SafeLives' public health approach to responding to domestic abuse, and share how tech companies can support this work?
Each month, eight women are killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales. In the year ending March 2025, an estimated 3.8 million people experienced domestic abuse. Abuse is evolving. It no longer exists only in physical spaces. Technology shapes how we connect, work and live. It has also given perpetrators new tools to monitor, harass and intimidate. One in three women in the UK has experienced online abuse.
At SafeLives, we work with organisations across the UK to transform the response to domestic abuse. We listen to survivors, analyse how systems operate in practice and partner with local areas and government to embed lasting change.
Our Whole Picture Framework supports delivery of the VAWG Strategy by turning national ambition into practical local action. It sets out what a consistent, joined-up response should look like, so adults and children receive the right support at the right time.
We know that technology cannot replace professional judgement, empathy or human connection. But it can strengthen all three.
As new technologies emerge, professionals need support to adopt them safely and confidently. Through AI discovery workshops, digital reflection sessions and structured learning, we are exploring how innovation can enhance, not undermine, survivor-centred practice.
But innovation here carries profound responsibility. Survivors understand better than anyone how technology can be misused. Their experience must shape the systems being designed. Survivor-defined rights, trauma-informed practice and a deep understanding of coercive control must sit alongside technical expertise.
For more than two decades, SafeLives has championed a whole-system approach to ending domestic abuse. The Whole Picture Framework builds on that legacy, offering a practical blueprint for reducing risk, preventing harm and supporting adults and children to live free from abuse.
That requires digital infrastructure that enables real-time insight, supports safe collaboration and embeds accountability across complex public systems. It requires ethical AI, secure design and thoughtful governance. It requires partnership between those who understand abuse and those who understand systems.
For tech leaders, this is an opportunity to apply innovation where it matters most. To help build systems that respond faster, act smarter and ultimately make families safer sooner.
Maria, how has technology enabled Refuge to reach more women or deliver services more effectively?
Technology is an amazing tool that allows us to connect with more survivors and reduces barriers to seeking help. Many of the survivors we support are in situations where their safety is at immediate risk, so having a secure device that they can use to contact us, or other professionals can be lifesaving.
Thanks to technology, we can also reach survivors through more accessible and inclusive channels, ensuring that everyone receives the support they need. For example, the National Domestic Abuse Helpline offers support not only over the phone but also via Live Chat and in British Sign Language through SignVideo. Additionally, survivors can access resources to keep their technology safe on our Tech Safety website.
At Refuge, empowering survivors is at the centre of everything we do. This means we must be alert to digital threats so that we can better assess risks and provide informed safety advice, allowing survivors to regain control over their lives – both online and offline.
Naomi, in your view, what role can the tech industry play in helping public sector and third sector organisations achieve their goals in addressing and tackling VAWG, and what do you think needs to be in place for this kind of collaboration to have real impact?
Addressing VAWG demands a coordinated, society-wide response. While the criminal justice system plays a central role, the responsibility extends far beyond policing and prosecution. The technology sector, in particular, has both a significant opportunity and a clear obligation to contribute meaningfully to this effort.
Technology misuse in the VAWG sector is rapidly increasing. Devices and online platforms are being used to track, intimidate, and abuse victims, making it harder for law enforcement and policymakers to keep up with the evolving risks.
Collaborative efforts like techUK’s VAWG and RASSO Working Group are vital. By uniting industry and justice partners, the group raises awareness of tech solutions, addresses gaps, and promotes strategic investment, focusing on practical outcomes.
Tackling VAWG is not solely a policing challenge, nor solely a technological one. It is a societal imperative that requires leadership, collaboration, and sustained commitment. By aligning innovation with accountability and shared purpose, meaningful progress is not only possible, but also essential.
To conclude the interview, we invited all participants to reflect on the following questions:
On International Women’s Day, what advice would you give to anyone in tech who wants to use their skills for social impact?
“Start by listening. Understand the real barriers women and girls face, especially those whose voices are least heard. Then use your skills to design systems that widen access, reduce harm, and improve safety. Partner with those who know the issue deeply. Technology, grounded in evidence and lived experience, can be a powerful force for lasting social change.”
Nikki Kelly, SafeLives
“As a woman in tech, you can inspire others by mentoring and sharing your experience with young people through community initiatives or work experience programmes. You can also contribute to meaningful social impact by supporting access to digital skills training, for example by contributing to techUK’s Digital Skills Catalogue, or volunteer with groups like the VAWG and RASSO Working Group to make a positive impact.”
Naomi Bolton, techUK’s VAWG and RASSO Working Group.
“Firstly, I would say we definitely need you! We need more professionals in the tech industry who are keen to use their knowledge and skills to make a positive difference. I would encourage anyone in tech to consider whether the products they are working on are accessible, and whether any features or safety vulnerabilities could be misused to cause harm. To do this, it is crucial that those in tech listen to the diverse voices and communities who might use their products and understand how technology can be weaponised by abusers.
My advice would be to adopt a safety-by-design approach when developing products, so that harm caused by technology-facilitated abuse is mitigated from the outset and accessibility is built into the product’s design. This approach helps prevent the misuse of devices and features by perpetrators of abuse, who we know use technology to extend their web of coercive control through behaviours such as stalking and harassment. Making sure your products are inclusive and have embedded safety features from the design phase is an incredibly powerful way to create positive social impact.”
Maria Aristondo, Refuge
On International Women’s Day, what do you want to see from the tech industry to help tackle tech-enabled violence against women and girls?
Statistics show us that online and technology-enabled crime is surging, with violence against women and girls at epidemic levels, requiring urgent action. As criminals increasingly use technology to commit crimes that have devastating and sometimes life-long impacts on victims and those close to them, the tech sector must recognise its responsibility to do all it can to keep people safe online.
There is growing evidence that easily accessible harmful content online is normalising violent misogyny, including among children and young people, with real world impacts. Legislation and law enforcement can go so far, but technology is evolving with such speed that we need tech firms to work with, not against, the police by putting in place solutions that prevent the proliferation and amplification of gender-based online abuse. We want to see the tech industry move beyond reactive compliance and take a more proactive leadership role in tackling tech-enabled violence against women and girls.
Clare Moody, APCC
At techUK, our role is to bring together people from the tech, policing and third sector organisations to enable open and meaningful conversations to tackle VAWG. These conversations show that real progress comes from working together, using technology responsibly, and keeping survivors at the centre of everything we do. By sharing knowledge and championing practical solutions, techUK helps ensure the sector takes an active role in building a safer society for all.
About the campaign
In our pursuit to shape a more equitable future, our March TechTogether campaign will focus on supporting the next generation by joining the National Careers Week campaign, empowering women in tech, advancing equity by design, and evolving the landscape of online safety.
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