Regulating private sector security provision for victims of domestic violence

Abstract

Private companies are increasingly involved with the security concerns of victims of domestic violence. This involvement manifests in a number of forms including the proliferation of technology and private security companies that seek a market among domestic violence victims and services. In this article, data gathered in Australia are used to show that private sector involvement with victims of domestic violence can be<br/ >a useful addition to the landscape of providers who respond to the needs of an underprotected population, but that steps must be taken to ensure the ethical and competent performance of such commercial actors and their technological solutions. Therefore, a form of ‘civil regulation’ is suggested that aims to align private security with the broader public interest.<br/ ><br/ >Keywords<br/ >Domestic violence, policing, private security, regulation, technology, victims<br/ >