Fragments of the Past: Configuring Peer Support with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence

Title of the Paper

Fragments of the Past: Curating Peer Support with Perpetrators of Domestic Violence

Bibliographic Information

• Research Domain: Designing HCI technologies to support domestic violence intervention and behavioral change
• Keywords: Domestic violence, intimate partner violence, violence prevention, peer support networks, digital citizenship, social care

Research Background and Issues

• Problems or Challenges:

  1. Perpetrators of domestic violence often relapse into abusive behavior after completing Domestic Violence Prevention Programs (DVPPs) due to the loss of support networks.
  2. Designing and implementing digital peer support networks face ethical and practical challenges, such as the risk of negative feedback loops and discussions of harmful content.

• Significance: Domestic violence has profound social impacts, and helping perpetrators sustain non-violent behavior is crucial for the safety of victims and the overall health of society.

• Research Motivation and Related Work: There is a scarcity of research and resources focused on long-term support for perpetrators. This study aims to design a safe, asynchronous digital peer support solution to address the gap following the conclusion of domestic violence intervention programs. Previous studies have focused on unregulated online support, which poses significant risks in practice.

Solution

• Methods/Solution:

  1. Designed and deployed a socio-material system called "Fragments of the Past," which binds audio messages to physical artifacts (fragments) for conveying peer support.
  2. Utilized JigsAudio technology (connecting audio to physical objects via RFID tags).

• Innovations:

  1. Transformed indirect interpersonal interaction into support communication through physical artifacts, avoiding potential conflicts from direct communication.
  2. Introduced the concept of "temporal persistence," where physical artifacts serve as fixed and trustworthy carriers of information.

• Implementation Steps and Technology:

  1. Collaborated with domestic violence support organizations to design asynchronous digital support activities.
  2. Enabled participants to create artifacts reflecting their behavioral change process and record related audio messages.
  3. Conducted subsequent trials and feedback sessions with a new group of participants.

Research Outcomes

• Specific Results:

  1. Developed and tested an innovative digital support system capable of effectively conveying support information.
  2. Provided technical and practical references for designing support systems for perpetrators of violence, particularly in asynchronous communication environments.

• Advantages Comparison:

  1. Compared to traditional online support networks, reduced risks associated with unregulated spaces (e.g., collusion or dissemination of harmful information).
  2. Strengthened the authenticity and emotional resonance of information through the combination of artifacts and audio.

• Experimental and Evaluation Results:

  1. Perpetrators showed strong engagement in the artifact creation process, with some expressing identity recognition and behavioral reflection.
  2. New participants acknowledged that this approach helped them receive emotional support during the early stages of behavioral change.
  3. Design limitations (e.g., lack of bidirectional communication) were effectively mitigated from an ethical standpoint.

• Limitations and Future Directions:

  • Limitations:
    • The system still has room for improvement, as the one-way information transmission may not fully replicate the dynamics of mutual support.
    • Lack of long-term tracking of perpetrators' behavioral changes after accessing support through the system.
  • Future Directions:
    1. Explore how artifacts can form an "iterative feedback loop" to enhance the dynamic transmission of support information.
    2. Conduct in-depth research on technological support models for complete identity reconstruction of perpetrators, reducing relapse risks.

Application Points of Output Format

This paper clearly proposes an innovative practice using technology to support the long-term behavioral change of domestic violence perpetrators. By emphasizing safety and ethics in design, it provides a reference pathway for similar research targeting other high-risk or marginalized groups.