Keeping women safe in their homes: Private rental initiative evaluation

The Queensland Keeping Women Safe in their Home (KWSITH) technology trial is part of the Commonwealth Government-funded Women’s Safety Package. The KWSITH Technology Trials commenced in Cairns, Ipswich, Rockhampton and Caboolture in September 2016, with the trial due for completion by 30 June 2019. Elements of the trial include:

• enhancement of home and personal security to support and empower women experiencing domestic and family violence, and their children, to remain close to family and other support networks such as workplaces, schools and childcare
• completion of a comprehensive risk assessment and the implementation of a detailed safety plan that monitors and reviews risk over time
• implementation of new and innovative technology-driven solutions such as the provision of 24/7 security-monitored personal duress alarms and security cameras at the KWSITH participants’ home
• conducting of property audits and/or cyber audits, where identified as safe and appropriate, to assess the safety of home/property and examining cyber environments such as computers, smartphones and vehicles (tracking devices) to address identified or perceived security concerns of surveillance and/or stalking.

This evaluation of the technology trial investigated whether and how the technology-based initiative enabled people to stay safer at home, which people, and under what circumstances, and if it empowered them in other ways.