Apple’s Safety Check Combats Domestic Abuse: Everything You Need to Know

Technology can sometimes make leaving domestic abuse situations difficult. Abusers can use tracking technology to not only keep an eye on victims, but to follow them when they attempt to leave. Apple has come out with a new feature to help address this issue. The new feature called Safety Check is designed to help people facing a domestic abuse situation. Safety Check is an emergency reset that can cut other devices off from accessing your location data, passwords, and your iCloud information. Having this information cut off can be essential to those in domestic violence situations.

How Apple’s Safety Check Feature Can Help Those in Domestic Abuse Relationships

The Safety Check feature lets users review and reset who has access to location information, passwords, messages, and other apps on an iPhone. Phones can often become stalking devices for abusers with convenient features that let abusers track their victims. Having access to this information not only keeps victims trapped, but when they attempt to leave, their abuser can keep tracking them, making it extremely difficult for victims to get away. Research shows that the most dangerous point for victims is when they try to leave. The access that the abuser has to their information makes the situation even more dangerous—this is why Apple created the Safety Check feature.

In addition to turning off location sharing, Safety Check can also reset:

• your privacy permission on apps
• protect access to messages, limiting iMessage and Facetime sessions to your device only.

The feature will prompt you to reset your Apple ID password that revokes anyone else’s access to your iCloud account and other sensitive information stored.

How a Domestic Violence Attorney Can Help

This new Apple feature goes a long way in helping victims of domestic violence get away from their abuser. However, it can’t do much to keep them from finding the victim once more through other methods. An attorney can help victims file for an injunction order that legally prevents their abuser from approaching them and confronting them. The process of securing an injunction typically consists of:

Petitioning

To start the injunction order process the victim must file a petition. They must include specific examples of the abuse occurring along with other information about themselves and the offender. An attorney can help victims submit their petition and ensure that the petition has all the necessary information for a successful outcome.

Petition Review

Once the petition is submitted, a judge will review it. The judge can then grant the petition and provide a temporary injunction, or they may order a hearing to get more information before granting the injunction. A judge may also deny the petition if it doesn’t have sufficient evidence; this is why it’s imperative that victims work with a domestic abuse attorney who can help ensure they have a strong petition.

Temporary Injunction

Once a judge grants a temporary injunction, the respondent must be served, and the case will be scheduled for a hearing to determine if the injunction should be extended for longer.

Injunction Hearing

During the hearing, the petitioner must present evidence to support the granting of the injunction. A granted injunction can be any length of time, from a year to a lifetime.

Fighter Law Can Help Represent Victims of Domestic Abuse

The board-certified attorneys at Fighter Law understand how terrifying it can be to leave a domestic violence situation. Our attorneys can provide the legal support you need to obtain an injunction or restraining order. We can walk you through the process with care and professionalism. If need be, our firm can also help you find resources such as housing or counseling.

Contact us today at (407) 344-4837 or fill out our contact form. We also speak Spanish.

Share: