DAFREE Newsletter

DAfree’s Red Flag Checker - 

Technology’s Role in: Awareness and Prevention

Welcome to our fourth newsletter! Today we’ll be exploring the role of technology in prevention and awareness of domestic abuse, in light of our most recent implementation of our Red Flag Checker. 

🚩Check Out Our Red Flag Checker

As we know, domestic abuse doesn’t always look like bruises or shouting. It can begin with subtle behaviours, including controlling language, jealousy disguised as “care,” constant check-ins, or financial control, all behaviours of Coercive Control. Many people don’t recognise these as red flags until the relationship becomes dangerous.

To change that, DAfree has launched a new tool: 

The Red Flag Checker

designed to help people identify warning signs early.

How the Red Flag Checker Helps

The Red Flag Checker is a private, online assessment that helps individuals recognise red flags and toxic behaviours by analysing real-life scenarios. It offers:

• Immediate insight into unhealthy patterns
• Language to describe what someone may be experiencing, where they are not able to express themselves. People often struggle to explain what’s wrong by turning feelings such as “something feels off” into phrases like: controlling behaviour, coercive control, emotional manipulation, gaslighting
• Resources and guidance if red flags are identified
• A safe, non-judgmental space to reflect on a relationship
  
  

The first step toward safety is simply recognising that something isn’t right.

Technology is Changing Domestic Abuse Prevention

Digital tools are opening new pathways to safety and awareness:

• Anonymous self-assessments
  They help people recognise gaslighting, coercive control, or emotional manipulation, even when there are no physical signs.
• Discreet support apps
  Some apps allow victims to journal incidents, create safety plans, or contact help as they may feel they have no one around to turn to.
• Online education and awareness
  Social media, campaigns, and digital communities are giving survivors a voice and breaking myths about what abuse “looks like.”

Technology drives the mission of awareness in so many ways, in turn fueling prevention.

But We Must Also Talk About the Risks

Whenever technology is used in something as sensitive as domestic abuse, there are dangers we cannot ignore.

1. Safety & privacy

Abusers often monitor phones and devices. If tools aren’t discreet and encrypted, usage could be discovered and put someone in more danger.

2. Misinterpretation or false reassurance

AI can misunderstand context. A tool might say “everything looks normal” when it isn’t, or label a non-abusive situation incorrectly. Human support is still essential.

3. Bias

If AI systems are trained on limited data, they may struggle to recognise abuse in LGBTQ+ relationships, cultural contexts, or non-traditional situations. 

5. Data sensitivity

Information about abuse should never be tracked or exploited. Survivors need privacy, not data stored for advertising or analytics.

Technology can be instrumental in preventing domestic abuse and raising awareness; however, it is not without its faults. Hence, we must ensure victims are protected and have a strong community of AWARERS surrounding them who can support, recognise, and intervene. 

Technology should empower survivors and raise awareness, not replace real, hands-on help.

Together, Awareness Saves Lives

Domestic abuse thrives in silence. When we give people language, tools, education, and safe places to ask questions, we break that silence.

Share the Red Flag Checker with colleagues, friends, schools, communities, and online spaces:

👉 DAfree's Red Flag Checker

And be sure to join our Skool Community, a space for crucial discussions, valuable resources and a community of AWARER’S:

👉 DAfree's Skool Community

Share your thoughts with us!

Why do you think so many people struggle to recognise the early red flags of abuse, even when they’re happening to them or someone close to them? Do you think our Red Flag Checker can help identify these red flags?

Selina

Head of Communications & Relations, DAfree

📩 dafree@dafree.org

🌍www.dafree.org

📲 +44 7301 940852

This week’s newsletter explores comparisons in legislative practices surrounding domestic abuse in two powerful and developed nations, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

Both countries have signed the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty designed to protect women from all forms of violence and to prevent, prosecute, and eliminate domestic abuse. Yet, despite this shared commitment, both nations continue to grapple with persistent, and in some cases, rising levels of domestic abuse.

As mentioned previously, Switzerland, long regarded as one of the safest countries in the world, is now facing an alarming surge in domestic violence. In 2024 alone, police recorded 21,127 domestic offences, a 6.1% increase from the previous year (Federal Statistic Office).

Research from the Swiss Medical Weekly further reveals that one in five women will experience physical or sexual violence in her lifetime. Around 25 people die each year as a result of domestic violence, with three-quarters of victims being women (swissinfo.ch).

Since 2004, domestic violence has been treated as a public prosecution matter, allowing cases to proceed even without a victim’s complaint, which is a major step in recognising abuse as a criminal, and not a private issue.

Authorities attribute the rising numbers in violence to a combination of improved reporting and heightened awareness, as well as gaps in prevention and protection systems. 

Switzerland’s federal system creates regional inconsistencies as each canton (region) applies laws differently, leading to unequal support and delayed responses for victims while support services remain underfunded and inconsistent. In some regions, police and social services cooperate effectively, while in others, survivors face long waits or limited access to help. This decentralised system, combined with underfunded shelters and inconsistent victim support, contributes to gaps in protection, leaving many survivors without the urgent assistance they need (Swissinfo.ch,).

It’s important to note that these numbers likely represent only the tip of the iceberg, as countless victims suffer in silence, hindered by fear of social stigma.

The United Kingdom has made significant legislative progress; however, its enforcement has not translated into securing safety and reducing domestic violence. The Domestic Abuse Act (2021) broadened the legal definition of abuse to include coercive control, emotional manipulation, and economic abuse. It also recognised children as victims and created a Domestic Abuse Commissioner to monitor the nation’s response.

However, legislation doesn’t always translate into lived safety. According to the Office for National Statistics (2024):

• Around 4.8% of people aged 16 and over, equivalent to 2.3 million individuals, experienced domestic abuse in the year ending March 2024.
  
  
• Over a lifetime, 1 in 5 people report having experienced domestic abuse.

Recorded police incidents have decreased slightly from 911,248 cases in 2023 to 851,062 in 2024. While this might appear as progress, experts caution that the decline in reporting doesn’t necessarily mean fewer cases. Instead, it can reflect the persistent under-reporting and loss of trust in institutions, compounded by funding cuts to refuges, lengthy legal processes, and stigma around speaking out.

• Switzerland’s increase in reported domestic abuse may be linked to greater social awareness and improved reporting mechanisms following government campaigns and commitment to the Istanbul Convention. However, structural inconsistencies such as regional disparities and insufficient victim support continue to leave survivors vulnerable.
  
  
• The UK’s decline in reporting, on the other hand, points toward a fatigue of trust: victims often face disbelief, slow investigations, or a lack of support after reporting. Economic pressures, the cost-of-living crisis, and reduced funding for women’s services may also deter victims from coming forward.

In both nations, the statistics reveal not only violence but a deep disconnect between legal progress and lived reality.

At DAfree, we believe that awareness and empathy are global tools of prevention. Domestic abuse isn’t confined to one nation or culture it thrives and continues in silence, shame, and misunderstanding. The intricacies of preventing domestic abuse through legislation can be learned through the examples of Switzerland and the U.K. While the creation and expansion of legislation surrounding domestic abuse are essential milestones, more must be done to ensure protection and prevention, including the implementation of legislation through other forms of support and government agencies.

Laws can open the door, but awareness keeps it open, allowing individuals to rebuild safely.

Most importantly, as members of society, we each hold a power in raising awareness. Through awareness, we can protect, recognise and break toxic cycles.

What can governments, communities, and individuals do to increase reporting of domestic abuse?

 👉 Share your thoughts with us

Selina

Head of Communications & Relations, DAfree

📩 dafree@dafree.org

🌍www.dafree.org

📲 +44 7301 940852

Hello again, and thank you for joining us!

This week, we’re diving into a form of abuse that hides in plain sight, which is coercive control.

It doesn’t leave bruises, but it deeply wounds. It’s the invisible cage that keeps so many trapped, emotionally, psychologically, and financially. At DAfree, our mission is to shed light on and bring awareness to issues such as corecive control that have long been kept in the dark.

You can explore our full Coercive Control course in our community.  So please ensure you are joininh and interacting on the community to level up and gain access!

It’s a safe space to learn, reflect, and reconnect with your understanding of freedom and boundaries.

💭 What Is Coercive Control?

Coercive control is a pattern of behaviours designed to dominate and isolate another person, slowly eroding their sense of self, safety, and independence.

It’s not always loud or violent, however is often, subtle, disguised as love, concern, or protection.
But over time, it leaves a person doubting their memories, their worth, and their right to choice.

In the UK, coercive control is legally recognised under the Serious Crime Act 2015 but many still don’t know how to identify it when it’s happening. In next week’s newsletter we will touch on the timeline of the acknowledgement of coercive control across legislations and judiciary systems internationally.

⚠️ How Coercive Control Presents:

Some common signs of coercive control include:

• Isolation - cutting you off from friends, family, or support systems.
• Surveillance - checking your phone, tracking your location, or demanding passwords.
• Gaslighting - twisting reality so you doubt your own perceptions.
• Financial Control - restricting money, controlling spending, or withholding necessities.
• Emotional Manipulation - guilt-tripping, silent treatment, or constant criticism.
• Legal or Social Threats - using children, courts, or institutions to intimidate or punish.
  

These behaviours don’t happen all at once, they slowly build up, until control becomes routine.

🪞 Why It’s Hard to See

Coercive control often begins as affection.
At first, it can look like love. Someone wanting to be close, to “take care of you.” But over time, that care becomes surveillance; that love becomes control.

It’s hard to spot because:

• It happens gradually.
• Violence is not frequently imposed
• The abuser often looks charming or “perfect” to outsiders.
• Victims internalise blame. “Maybe it’s my fault.”
  

Recognising coercive control is the first step toward freedom. With recognition, follows awareness. We cannot protect and prevent if these crucial conversations do not materialise.

💔 The Impact

Living under coercive control can cause:

• Anxiety, hypervigilance, and confusion
• Depression, panic attacks, or PTSD
• Loss of identity and self-trust
• Social isolation and financial hardship
• Long-term trauma for both survivors and children, who are surrounded within environments of or experience coercive control.

💬 From the DAfree Course: A Reflection

One of our favourite reflections from the Skool classroom:

“Coercive control isn’t always about power over someone - sometimes it’s about fear of losing control. But that fear never justifies abuse.”

This week, take a moment to journal or discuss:
✨ Where in your life have you confused control with care?
✨ How can you begin to reclaim your autonomy, emotionally, financially, or mentally?

🪶 Resources & Support

At DAfree, we aim to promote the awareness of all forms of domestic abuse and it’s disguises. Feel free to message us if you feel you need any support or generally would like to discuss. Educate yourself by using our courses within Skool and ensure to connect with the community to be exposed to a range of reflections!

🕯️ Final Thought

Recognising coercive control is an act of courage. Speaking it aloud breaks the silence that abusers depend on. Healing is not instant, but every step you take toward awareness, is a step towards protection and most importantly PREVENTION.

You are defined by your decision to be DAfree. 🕊️

In kindness and solidarity,

Selina

Head of Communications & Relations, DAfree

📩 dafree@dafree.org

🌍www.dafree.org

📲 +44 7301 940852

We have decided to create a bi-weekly newsletter with the purpose of:

• Creating educational resources
• Engaging our community
• Raising awareness on sidelined issues surrounding domestic abuse

DAfree is a CIC, established to drive meaningful change in how society understands and responds to domestic abuse and coercive control. DAfree fosters a unique global online community through Skool, where survivors, allies, professionals, and advocates can connect, learn, and collaborate. This digital platform enables us to expand our reach globally, creating a secure, interactive space where individuals share resources, support one another, and develop collective strategies to break the cycle of abuse.

🕊EXPLORE OUR DAfree SKOOL COMMUNITY🕊

Our mission is to create safer, healthier, and more respectful relationships for future generations. We combine lived experiences, research, and creativity to create accessible tools and campaigns that challenge overlooked, harmful norms and behaviours of domestic abuse. 

Through education, advocacy, and collaboration, DAfree works to:

- Raise Awareness of what constitutes abuse, including coercive control, emotional manipulation, and hidden forms of violence often overlooked by society.

- Empower Survivors by amplifying their voices and ensuring they are met with

compassion, understanding, and practical support.

- Educate Communities by providing resources, courses, and workshops that highlight the patterns, risks, and long-term impacts of abuse.

- Promote Systemic Change by engaging with institutions, charities, and professionals to push for stronger policies, prevention strategies, and cultural shifts.

Why Awareness Matters

Domestic abuse isn’t always visible. Coercive control, through manipulation, isolation, and

intimidation, often goes unseen, yet it can have devastating effects. By shining a light on

these hidden forms of abuse, we help communities better understand the signs and respond

with compassion.

How To Get Involved

Change can’t happen alone. Here’s how you can support DAfree:

● 💬 Join our Skool community to connect and learn.

● 📢 Share this newsletter to raise awareness.

● 🤝 Collaborate with us - we invite charities, organisations, and individuals.

● 📲 Stay connected via WhatsApp: +44 7301 940852

Looking Ahead

Over the coming months, we’ll be sharing resources, campaigns, and opportunities to take part in workshops and community discussions. Stay tuned! We have some exciting projects in the works.

Thank you for joining us in our journey of raising awareness of domestic abuse and coercive control. From all of us at DAfree, thank you for being part of our growing community. Together, we can break the cycle of abuse and build a future grounded in safety and respect.

In kindness and solidarity,

Selina

Head of Communications & Relations, DAfree

📩 dafree@dafree.org

🌍www.dafree.org

📲 +44 7301 940852