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from the my-thermostat-is-holding-me-hostage dept.
In more than 30 interviews with The New York Times, domestic abuse victims, their lawyers, shelter workers and emergency responders described how the technology was becoming an alarming new tool. Abusers - using apps on their smartphones, which are connected to the internet-enabled devices - would remotely control everyday objects in the home, sometimes to watch and listen, other times to scare or show power. Even after a partner had left the home, the devices often stayed and continued to be used to intimidate and confuse.
Connected home devices have increasingly cropped up in domestic abuse cases over the past year, according to those working with victims of domestic violence. Those at help lines said more people were calling in the last 12 months about losing control of Wi-Fi-enabled doors, speakers, thermostats, lights and cameras. Lawyers also said they were wrangling with how to add language to restraining orders to cover smart home technology.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 26 2018, @04:05PM (4 children)
you might be surprised at how difficult it is for a woman to prove such abuses in the "good-ol'-boy" south. even multiple domestic situation calls and bruises are brushed off with "well, you made him angry, and he said he's sorry, and this time he really means it".
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Tuesday June 26 2018, @04:16PM (3 children)
A: I live in the "good-ol'-boy" south. Wasn't born here, but I landed here.
B: This isn't the 1960's.
C: I personally know two women who won divorces due to psychological abuse, as well as two more who were physically abused.
Wealth plays a factor in these things, but old-time good-ol'-boy politics have taken a huge hit. If you want to be a good-ol'-boy, you had best be contributing appreciable amounts to the local political scene. And, that's no real guarantee of anything, anymore. If people like Anthony Weiner can be exposed (pardon the pun) and shitcanned, you can bet that Bubba from Podunk can be done the same way.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday June 26 2018, @05:30PM
a: i'm sorry for your loss
b: agreed - but it certainly isn't socially liberal
c: i know one in south carolina who couldn't get the courts to acknowledge physical abuse with EXACTLY the language of "he says he's sorry, so we're dismissing. again." until he pulled a gun one time. then the courts finally agreed with her. only took about a year - i guess that's not too bad... of course, they're dirt poor - medicaid, SNAP, WIC - but can somehow afford to feed their horse. viva le sud.
(Score: 3, Informative) by LoRdTAW on Tuesday June 26 2018, @06:01PM (1 child)
For every two that win there are plenty more who are unfortunately mentally unprepared to deal with stress and unknowns of divorce. Sometimes they are so mentally beaten they believe it truly is THEIR fault so they stay in the terrible relationship believing it to be the right thing. It's sad but happens all the time.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday June 27 2018, @12:42PM