Developing a Technology Abuse Clinic through Interdisciplinary University Collaborations: A Brief Report

Technology-facilitated abuse (TFA) is common among victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), creating safety, access, and service-delivery barriers. This brief report describes the development of a Technology Abuse Clinic (TAC) through an interdisciplinary university partnership to expand community capacity for cybersecurity-informed IPV support and enhance workforce development in both victim service and cybersecurity contexts. We adapted existing TAC models to a social work–led clinic co-developed with computer science faculty, staffed primarily by graduate students. Services were iteratively refined with two community-based violence agencies and delivered through survivor workshops, on-site office hours, and referral-based direct service sessions for complex cases. In year one, the TAC provided specialized training experiences for 10 graduate students, trained 44 agency staff, delivered interactive TFA safety workshops to 90 survivors in residential services, and provided in-depth tech safety planning/direct service to 13 survivors with complex concerns. Early implementation suggests feasibility and strong uptake, while highlighting challenges related to student turnover and faculty time demands. An interdisciplinary, university-based TAC can address a critical gap at the intersection of IPV services and cybersecurity by pairing trauma-informed advocacy with technical consultation. Findings support a scalable workforce-development approach in which non-technologist IPV professionals can be trained to address most TFA concerns with reliable access to technical back-up. Future work to assess survivor experiences with TAC services and efficacy in addressing TFA related safety is warranted.