Mapping Practitioners’ Perspectives on the Interaction of Intimate Partner Violence and Digital Inequalities in Norway’s Digital Transformation Context

This study examines the intersection of intimate partner violence (IPV) and digital inequalities, focusing on the perspectives of IPV service practitioners in Norway. Through qualitative interviews with sixteen practitioners, using reflexive thematic analysis and a feminist interpretive approach, this study identifies three key findings. First, practitioners face significant challenges in incorporating digital tools into service provision due to a lack of standardized training, privacy concerns, and ever-evolving digital threats. Second, in the context of IPV, digital inequalities are observed as a major barrier preventing victim-survivors from accessing and utilizing online resources and services. Third, practitioners perceive digital technologies as both a means of enhancing survivors’ safety and autonomy and a tool for continued coercion and control by perpetrators. These findings indicate a cyclical dynamic in which IPV exacerbates digital inequalities and vice versa, constraining practitioners’ ability to offer support and restricting survivors’ capacity to navigate digital spaces safely. Moreover, the study reveals critical gaps in the recognition of technology-facilitated violence within public services and digital governance frameworks. As Norway undergoes a rapid digital transformation, the findings underscore the urgent need for policies that strengthen digital safety training for IPV service providers, enhance survivor-centered protection, and address technology-facilitated violence. By addressing these gaps, policymakers and service providers can foster safer and more inclusive digital participation for both practitioners and survivors.