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  • 10 hours ago
Emergency phone alerts could put domestic abuse survivors' lives at risk by exposing hidden secondary devices, domestic abuse charity Refuge has warned.The charity is urging authorities to improve guidance on opting out so perpetrators do not discover these vital lifelines.To learn how to turn off emergency alerts on a hidden phone, visit https://refugetechsafety.org/emergency-alerts/ or call the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247.

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00:00It's as simple as we're placing somebody's life at risk. If a device is found by perpetrators
00:06there could be disclosures made, evidence that's on that device and that could escalate the risk
00:12and in some instances somebody could be killed. It's as serious as that. Secondary phones are
00:16vital for survivors of domestic abuse because quite often their main phone is being monitored
00:22by the perpetrator. It's life-saving, it means that they can contact agencies, they can make
00:27a safety plan to leave the relationship, they can stay in contact with family or friends who have
00:32otherwise they would be isolated from. So it's really critical that that phone is kept hidden
00:38and it's away from the perpetrator and they have no knowledge of its existence.
00:43It's not as simple as just turn the phone off. We know unfortunately when that phone goes back on
00:48the alert's probably going to come through and you're not prepared for that. That's actually
00:52even more at risk because not the whole house's phones aren't going off, that's just one device.
00:57I appreciate that in some instances there will be an emergency that needs to just be sent to
01:03people because there's an immediate risk of harm and I understand that but where possible if they
01:09can they need to communicate the messaging with charities, with any agency that is working
01:14and supporting people who are vulnerable and at risk. They need to do more comms themselves to say we
01:21at some point intend to do an emergency alert or to say at the moment it's summer, we're
01:26experiencing more wildfires, you may receive more emergency alerts coming through to your phone
01:31and this could mean if you have a hidden phone this could go off. You can opt out through your
01:36hidden phone if you'd like. Here's how to opt out of receiving emergency alerts. I think they have a
01:42responsibility to do more messaging around that and to speak to agencies such as Refuge Women's Aid as
01:48Actors and law enforcement. I'm just going to tell them that they can get the information.
01:48I'm just going to tell them about that.
01:49I will match to see you later and see if you're in a position in order to talk with the
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