"I really just leaned on my community for support": Barriers, Challenges, and Coping Mechanisms Used by Survivors of Technology-Facilitated Abuse to Seek Social Support

Technology-facilitated abuse (TFA) from an intimate partner is a growing concern for survivors' safety and security. Prior research introduced tailored interventions to support the survivors of TFA. However, most survivors do not have access to these interventions or are unaware of the appropriate support networks and resources in their community. We conducted nine semi-structured interviews to examine survivors' support-seeking dynamics from their social networks and the effectiveness of social networks in addressing survivors' needs. Through survivors' lived experiences, we systematize socio-technical barriers that impede the participant from seeking support and challenges in seeking support. Further, we identify coping mechanisms used by the survivors despite those barriers and challenges. Through a participatory lens, we echo survivors' call for action to improve support networks and propose recommendations for technology design to promote safer support-seeking practices and resources, consciousness-raising awareness campaigns, and collaborations with the community. Finally, we call for a restorative-justice-oriented framework that recognizes TFA.