My research concerned how the Internet could be used to help people who were experiencing domestic violence. My investigations revealed that the Internet is an effective way for people to communicate, especially in groups of interest

The  two message boards which were based at   and   and newsgroups at yahoo named “womenfightingdomesticviolence” and “Domestic_violencesurvivers”  were paramount instruments in my research, as these showed how women communicated and used the Web. They also revealed the level of activity and its extent, showing how many women posted on a daily basis, as well as how many members the groups had. Thus, they provided a great deal of data. So, I joined two message boards.   was UK based, as I thought it essential to get a response from UK women since my organisation was based in the UK. The other message board   was American based.

To consolidate my research, I decided to observe my message boards as communities without considering the individual qualities of the participants. I joined the message boards using my real first name and considering the dangers of misuse of identity and fraud on the web. I abbreviated my last name.  I did, however, openly refer the participants to the Web site I had designed for free for NAADV at

 This was to show them my genuine commitment to the cause of helping women who were experiencing domestic violence. With the message boards, I had to click on the link periodically, as the activity took place in a forum  which I had to visit to look for responses and to observe activity, unlike the newsgroups that operated as e-groups. I was able to obtain all the data that I needed for my research. The newsgroups were observed to assess whether a community of support existed online and to determine if newsgroups were as effective as message boards. It was certainly easier working with newsgroups, because the activity was automatically e-mailed to all members, so I was able to respond to messages without going on the Web.

Ultimately, the best way to determine the usefulness of these instruments was to interview or question women with access to the Internet. After researching the ethics of the situation, I posted a message openly to all the groups I had observed and asked them directly : How has the Internet helped you when fleeing from domestic violence?

To demonstrate my genuine interest in helping women who were experiencing domestic violence, I fostered trust by informing the women of the Web site I had designed and developed for women experiencing domestic violence. I did this with the permission of NAADV. Posting this message also helped me to gain potential interview participants and made the women aware of my presence in the group.

Another method I used was to send questionnaires to organisations. The organisations I chose were :

• Refuge is the UK's largest single provider of specialist accommodation and support to women and children escaping domestic violence.

• Rights of Women works to attain justice and equality by informing, educating and empowering women on their legal rights.

• Women's Aid Federation of England (Women's Aid) is the national charity working to end domestic violence against women and children.

(Source: NAADV)

These  are all charitable oragnisations like NAADV  were well established and recognised by the government; the only difference a Web presence would have made would have been to provide information to a wider geographical area, as well as internationally. Like my client, these organisations were getting enquiries from a wider geographical area than the UK, although some of them were dependent on volunteers.

It was essential that I made a comparative study to determine whether these organisations’ presence on the Web made a difference. Because all the organisations I contacted were similar to NAADV and had only recently achieved a Web presence, I thought that my findings would be applicable to NAADV. In that, if there is an avenue, being web presence that can be used to combat the problem of domestic violence this would be useful

Domestic Violence

Domestic violence is a serious subject that has attracted recent media coverage. Designing the Web site made me aware how serious an issue it is and increased my knowledge of the subject.

NAADV defines domestic violence as falling within four categories:

• Physical – including any form of physical assault, such as punching, pushing, kicking, biting, pulling hair, burning, stabbing, and in the worst cases, murder.

• Emotional – including intimidation, threats, harassment, stalking, damage to personal items and property, and allowing children to witness domestic violence.

• Sexual – including rape, sexual assault, unwanted exposure to pornography, and any form of force or coercion to commit sexual acts that are not acceptable to the person.

• Economic – including preventing someone from getting or keeping a job, not letting a person have knowledge of or access to family income (e.g. welfare benefits), taking money and/or making someone ask for money.

(Source: NAADV)

One in four women may experience domestic violence in their relationships with men. Also 100,000 women seek treatment in London each year for violent injuries received in the home (). This suggests how many people might benefit from NAADV having a Web site. Similar organisations and interest groups have also produced Web sites.

The introduction of new technology has changed the way we do things. Many organisations and special interest groups have a Web presence, and as a result, people with the same interests are able to communicate globally. This is the hope of NAADV.

The Internet, Accessibility and the Digital Divide

The introduction of the Internet has not only opened a new way of faster human communication; it has also has posed broad social issues, in that everybody or at least a high percentage of people have access to this technology. As far as NAADV is concerned, it is important for this to happen, as women need to access technology so that they can participate in a knowledge-based society. It is appropriate to study women’s access to digital communications through the Internet. The statistics demonstrate a clear gender gap, although one that is narrowing significantly.

In International Conference on Women, Work, and Computerization, Ellen Balka reports her research on Internet access and women’s participation and concludes that women’s use of the Internet depends on whether they own and control the technology to which they have access. Another factor is whether they have had access to relevant training and other support mechanisms that have enabled them to go beyond mere access and computer literacy.

It can be argued that training should be given to women to promote the benefits of the Internet. Negative images of women related to pornography have been associated with the Web, Balka  points out that society has not been receptive to women’s training, making women less likely to want to access the Internet.

In an article by Nina Wakeford entitled “Networking women and GRRLS with information/communication technology,” the author discusses the fact that the presence which women have created on the web is a response to images of computing culture web and the creation of GRRL Web sites . , Which are created by women who address issues without acting like victims and have to shift attention away from the erotic stereotype of women  on the web.  Which is the intention of the NAADV web site to provide information to empower women not them to feel like victims and in addition to this, is created by a women for women.

Nevertheless it is essential to observe participation by women on the web.  This should indicate whether there is a female presence that will utilise the NAADV website (Bell, 2000, p.351).

Before going into further detail on the nature of people’s participation in digital networks and, potentially through them, in a knowledge-based society, it is worth noting a couple of additional points about access and cost as a barrier

First women have too many responsibilities in an article called Weaving Together Family and Work it is stated that women traditionally have too many domestic tasks, such as housework and childcare, to want or even have time to use the Internet. If the British government is serious about getting women involved in technology, it should provide better childcare. Although this would cost money, it would be a good investment. If this does not happen, the knowledge-based economy will not benefit from women’s contributions.

Second, in ‘Women and the digital divide’, it is argued that women have been excluded from enjoying the digital revolution. As one commentator puts it, there has been some debate on ‘whether women are benefiting as much as men from the new technologies, or whether the digital revolution reinforces existing gender inequalities in the job market and other parts of the economy’ ().

There has been an increase in women’s use of the Internet. In a recent study, the Office of National Statistics showed that the number of women using the Web has leapt 12% in the past year compared with a minimal change in the figures for men (). However, the number of women connected to the Internet is still limited. The idea of the NAADV Web site is to create a  community that provides information as well support within its forum . It is important to establish what type of community the NAADV falls under as this will give an assumption on how the Web site will be used , therefore a note on how the internet can help victims of Domestic violence.

Virtual communities

One of the main definitions of a virtual community is “a community that interacts within a Web site” (Rheingold, 1994, p. 27).  Information technologies have changed how societies access and distribute information. Technology has ‘offered new and faster ways of human communication’ (Lea & Nicoll, 2002, p. 182). The Wenger model of social learning is frequently applied to information and communication technology. It would seem clear that when we are addressing communities, the most relevant community in relation to NAADV would be the virtual community. Gill Kirkup makes reference to this community and while it would seem that she agrees that communities provide support, she equally states that communities do have their ‘potential limitations’ (Lea & Nicoll, 2002, p. 182).

Kirkup raises the debate about what a virtual community is. To do this, she focuses on Wenger’s model of social learning, which has four components in theory, although fewer in practice:  

1. Community to which the learner belongs
2. Identity
3. Meaning, which is also an outcome of negotiation in the community
4. Practice, which is the engagement of a community in a joint enterprise or activity.

According to Wenger, all communities of practice are communities of learning. In order for there to be a learning community, there should be practice, which means the activities and communications that are needed for the process of learning.

Wenger goes on to say that communities that do not involve themselves in practice are simply to be known as communities of interest.

Wenger likens these communities of interest, including the virtual community, to ‘a community of TV soap opera fans, who all view the same programme at the same time...but at the same time have no contact with each other’ (Lea & Nicoll, 2002, p. 186). However, Wenger’s is not a traditional definition of a virtual community. In The Virtual Community, Rheingold indicates that interactivity is one of the key elements of a virtual community. Yet Wenger points out that from his own definition, it would seem that non-interactivity is an element. Regardless of these definitions, both learning communities and communities of interest are forums for learning information.  

There are other issues to consider when addressing communities of interest (virtual communities). The NAADV forum is much like a message board intended for women whom have undergone or are experiencing domestic violence to support each other , it  is not intended to replace professional counselling, but it is a way for people with the same interests to come together to support one another. The NAADV forum should not be relied on totally on , as sometimes technology can go wrong..

Notwithstanding these various issues, the Internet can provide a wonderful environment for women to stay in touch with one another, to network effectively in their work and personal lives and to extend their talents, skills and interests.

Networks

After an examination of the definition and elements of a virtual community, it seems reasonable to suggest that NAADV’s forum fits within the definition, especially that of Rheingold. However, NAADV could also fall under the umbrella of community networks. Initially the term ‘networks’ was a sociological concept that described the rich web of communications and relationships in a community. But there has been the recent innovation of computer-based networks ().

Currently, members and activists all over the world are developing these networks, often in conjunction with local institutions, including colleges and universities, schools, libraries, and non-profit organisations. The latter would apply to NAADV, as the organisation is non-profit and in fact relies heavily on donations (http://www.scn.org/ip/commnet/info.html).

These networks are intended to advance social goals, such as NAADV’s goal of promoting counselling and support. This is what I intend to encourage. The information on the NAADV Web site should be shared in the forums, which is the object of a community network. Another objective of a community network is to provide electronic ‘one-stop shopping’ for community information and communication by using discussion forums, question-and-answer forums, electronic access for government employees, information about and access to social services, and electronic mail.

After looking at the definition of community networks, it is reasonable to state that the NAADV Web site falls into this category. It suits this definition better than that of a virtual community, as this definition covers all aspects of the Web site, including the informational aspect, the encouragement to get professional help, and the forum for women to support one another and share their experiences. Indeed, Castells states, ‘we are undergoing a transformation towards an information age, the chief characteristic of which is the spread of networks linking people, institutions and countries’ (Webster, 1995, p. 101). Castells goes on to say that he agrees that our society has been transformed by the formation of networks (Castells, 2000, p. 127).

Community members interact with community networks in various ways, and like virtual community, these are accessible via computers and the Internet.  The term ‘virtual community’ suggests something that occurs only on the Internet, limiting its scope, whereas the term ‘network community’ covers all aspects of the Web site and the forum. Because Rheingold insists that a virtual community has to be interactive, this term will only cover the NAADV forum, as that is the only part of the Web site that is interactive. In fact, the concept of a ‘virtual community’ implies that some of the traditional properties of that community are not part of the ‘real’ world. Instead, the community is only virtual, which means that it looks, sounds or feels as if it were real, but is not (Coyne, 1995, p. 182). Since the forum of the web site will be a virtual community , this shows how women will benefit from sharing their problems and experiences in a world that is a digitalised version  of their society .

Empirical and Research Data

This research project was designed to find out how the Internet can help women fleeing domestic violence. was accumulated through the use of interviews, observations and questionnaires.

Interview with NAADV

Women who have experienced domestic violence are sceptical about the benefits of talking about any incidents they have experienced, so it is essential to be careful about how they are approached, so as not to bring about mistrust. If the approach is by the Web, as is intended in this case. I approached NAADV organisation in order to prepare an questionnaire ,  NAADV advised me to be careful with my wording and it would be also advisable to direct women to the NAADV Web site, which will demonstrate my commitment to the cause. I eventually decided to simply ask “ How has the Internet helped you when fleeing from domestic violence?”

Observations

During the observations, the message boards were a great support mechanism. About ten women answered pleas for support and help. Members of the group posted an average of fifteen posts daily collectively which consisted mainly of women seeking advice on what would happen if they left their situations, especially where custody of children was concerned. Regardless of whether the advice that was sought was delivered, a sense of power could be felt amongst this community, and the victims sounded strong in the type of words and language they used. The Internet clearly could be a place where they were able to drop their guard. Although I announced my presence, I expected them to be on their guard, but this did not seem to affect the activity. I believe that this was because I had given an indication of my dedication to helping women who were experiencing domestic violence. During this time, NAADV had many visitors to its forum, which was indicated in the administrator’s statistics. While the women recognised my cause, however, I felt that many were still unable to trust an outsider completely.

My posting received three responses, but these were merely acknowledgements that I was there.

The newsgroups, on the other hand, produced quite different results. When I announced my presence, I was welcomed by some of the women and was even admired for designing the Web site. I also received one detailed response, the reason for this being, I believe, that newsgroup users were able to answer e-mails from the comfort of their e-mail accounts without having to go on to the Web message board. Although the newsgroups were less busy than the message boards, they seemed to be more receptive towards my research and more willing to help. Although they were less receptive towards my research, they showed support towards one another and had a significantly higher level of activity.

Questionnaires

In order to establish whether having a Web presence would make a difference, I sent questionnaires to three organisations (see appendix). All three replied and were very cooperative in answering the questions in detail. The responses to the questionnaires were almost identical in tone.

 

Most of the organisations had had a Web presence for at least six months and had decided that this would enable them to reach an even greater community of women. They were keen to ensure that information about legal rights and remedies was accessible by as wide an audience of women as possible, and the general feeling was that the Web enabled them to do this. The Web, furthermore, assisted them in publicising their work and making pleas for donations, and enabled them to contact similar-minded groups across the world. It had certainly helped them to research matters from the comfort of their offices. After examining the responses to the questionnaires, I had an indication that a Web presence had indeed made a difference, and that this addition was positive, as they were then able to reach a wider range of clients.

 

The organisations were receiving more enquiries as a consequence of their Web presence, although the type of enquires was not much different from that of those received before the Web sites were established. They had also received positive feedback and used that to develop their Web sites with relevant information.

Conclusion

My research concerned how the Internet could be used to help people who were experiencing domestic violence. My investigations revealed that the Internet is an effective way for people to communicate, especially in groups of interest, such as the one studied. From my study, I realised that the Web site I had created was in fact a community network, as such a description would account for all aspects of the site, including the interactivity that Rheingold identified as an essential element of a virtual community.

 

To prepare the research setting for my question, I decided to interview my clients, domestic violence organisations that have a Web presence and women whom the Internet had helped and to observe message board and newsgroup activity.

After researching the ethics of the situation, I posted a message openly to all the groups I had observed and asked them directly whether the Internet had been of any help to them.  

I thought that the Web site would grow successfully because statistics show there was a 12% increase in women’s access to the Internet. However, training needs to be provided to encourage women’s interest in getting access to technology. In ‘Women and the digital divide’, it is argued that women have been excluded from enjoying the digital revolution. There has been some debate on ‘whether women are benefiting as much as men from the new technologies, or whether the digital revolution reinforces existing gender inequalities in the job market and other parts of the economy’ ().

During the observations, the message boards were a great support mechanism About ten women answered pleas for support and help.

The Internet is clearly a place where women are able to drop their guard.  Announcing my presence did not affect activity.

My experience of working with the newsgroups was different, however. I received one detailed response. I believe this was because with newsgroups people are able to answer e-mails from the comfort of their e-mail accounts without having to go on to the Web message board.

I can now conclude that there are different ways of using the Internet to receive support. For example, women can use the information Web sites, the message boards and newsgroups. I found that the Internet can help women who are experiencing domestic violence by providing information, resources, message boards and newsgroups communities in which women in a similar situation or women who have been in such a situation in past are able to support each other. I was able to observe this first hand and fully confirm that the Internet does provide help to women.

Bibliography

Balka, Ellen(2000) International Conference on Women, Work, and Computerization, 

Bell D and Kennedy B (eds)(2000) The Cybercultures reader. - London: Routledge,

Castells, M(2000)(eds)  The rise of the network society : Oxford : Blackwell Publishers,

Coyne, R.(1995) Designing information technology in the postmodern age : Cambridge : MIT Press

Eileen ,E and Adam,A(2001)(eds) Virtual gender technology, consumption, and identity: London: Routledge.

Harcourt, W (ed.)(1998) Women@Internet: Creating New Cultures in Cyberspace. London.

Hawthorne, S and R Klein (eds.)(1999). CyberFeminism: Connectivity, Critique and Creativity. North Melbourne: Spinifex Press.

Jones S (eds) (1999) Doing Internet research critical issues and methods for examining the net. -  London: Sage

Loader, B (2002) Community Informatics: Shaping Computer-Mediated Social Networks: New York: Routledge

Rheingold, Howard(2000)(eds)The virtual community : homesteading on the electronic frontier. - Rev. ed. :London : MIT Press

Statistical figures

Date 06/05/04

Date 12/05/04

The Internet  

Date 15/03/04

Date 06/12/03

Weaving Together Family and Work

By Sandra J. Bailey

Date 06/01/04

Date 06/01/04

Date 06/01/04

Media

Financial Times

Journals

Quinby, Lee (eds.). Women Confronting the New Technologies. A special issue (vol. XXIX, no. 3-4 [Fall/Winter 2001]) of Women's Studies Quarterly.

Other reports

Newham’s Action Against Domestic Violence (NAADV)