Interior Video Surveillance Considerations
A Note on Language
In this toolkit, we will sometimes use the word woman/women and feminine pronouns for simplicity and to recognize the significant impact technology-facilitated violence has on women and girls. We recognize that TFGBV also impacts trans, non-binary, and Two-Spirit people. We hope that all people impacted by TFGBV will find these documents useful.
Trust and respect are essential in building relationships between anti-violence organizations and survivors. Protecting survivor privacy is a trauma-informed, survivor-centred way for anti-violence workers to earn the trust of survivors. Healing only becomes possible when shelter and transition house programs create safe, private spaces for survivors.
Using video surveillance inside shelters is not a trauma-informed or survivor-centred practice. Video surveillance is a common tactic abusers use to control, stalk, harass, and terrify survivors. For shelter programs to employ the same tactic erodes trust and repeats lived experiences of harm. Video surveillance can make it impossible for some survivors to have any sense of trust, safety, or healing.
Despite the need for shelters to be private, safe spaces, some organizations have chosen to use video surveillance to monitor interior spaces, such as common areas. Reasons given include: mediating disputes between residents, monitoring locked medication, enforcing curfews or other shelter rules, and generally improving (perceived) safety. Each of these reasons points to a problem the organization has identified that needs some solution. However, interior video surveillance is not an appropriate solution to any problem.
Interior video surveillance does not improve safety; there is no existing evidence that interior video surveillance reduces or prevents the number or severity of safety-related incidents in shelters and transition houses. Video recordings can only be used to enforce rules, reactively after an incident through the collection of evidence. The supposed deterrence effect of surveillance is based on creating an abstract fear of being watched. Surveilled spaces are not places of healing; they are places to be careful in. Furthermore, the use of interior video surveillance puts shelter staff in the role of enforcers of rules in addition to or in place of their important roles as facilitators of healing, and as anti-violence workers.
Finally, there is a substantial risk that surveillance practices can lead to violations of an organization’s confidentiality obligations under relevant provincial, territorial, or federal laws. Potential violations could include breaches of privacy and confidentiality obligations, as well as the confidentiality obligations of any professionally licensed shelter staff.
Surveillance vs. Security
While interior video surveillance is not an appropriate practice, there may be limited benefits to exterior video surveillance of shelter facilities. Appropriately positioned exterior video surveillance can enhance a perception of safety for both survivors and shelter staff, or decrease the anxiety of staff responsible for securing facility entrances.
External video surveillance can also create privacy and confidentiality risks, and may deter some survivors and communities from seeking help. Just like any technology, the pros and cons need to be weighed and, if used, the technology should be implemented thoughtfully. For more information about using external surveillance devices, please review Exterior Video Surveillance: Minimizing Harm.
To support your development of safe tech use policies, WSC has developed a Use of Technology Policy Template Guide for Women’s Shelters and Transition Houses (PDF, in English only).
Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) is part of a continuum of violence that can be both online and in-person. If you or someone you know is experiencing TFGBV, you are not alone. You can use sheltersafe.ca to find a shelter/transition house near you to discuss options and create a safety plan. You don’t need to stay in a shelter to access free, confidential services and support.
Adapted for Canada with permission from NNEDV’s Safety Net project, based on their resource Interior Video Surveillance.