COULD THE NEXT WEAPON IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DOMESTIC VIOLENCE BE A TOASTER?

A DOMESTIC abuse survivor is set to help thousands of fellow victims thanks to a simple device that secretly raises the alarm using household appliances such as kettles, hair straighteners and even a toaster.
With the level of household attacks on the increase, this technology avoids aggravating abusers with pre-installed panic buttons that risk making a volatile situation even more dangerous.

The technology analyses unusual surges in electricity use to help secretly raise the alarm without causing any suspicion to would-be abusers in the domestic environment.

A message is sent automatically via an app on the phone and the next of kin is alerted to the situation. It could also be sent straight to the police.

It can be set up so that simply switching a kettle on and off twice would warn that a domestic abuse victim is under imminent threat.

The simple system also uses AI to spot unusual patterns within the home that send a red flag warning again to the next of kin or police.

And sensors can be linked to the application to track intruders or unusual behavior such as someone being locked in the bathroom for hours on end.

The technology known as ‘Ask Joan’ is the brainchild of Katy Longhurst, who suffered horrific domestic abuse at the hands of an ex-partner.

Over an eight-year period she suffered broken ribs and a cheek bone and nose and racked up 169 separate police incidents from her many cries for help.

The 38-year-old’s violent ex, a former soldier, would often lock her in the bathroom for hours on end and even when she tried to end the relationship, he broke into the house several times, hiding in the basement as he waited for her to return home.

When Katy saw the signs that she was in potential danger, she would often try and calm the situation by putting the kettle on and making a cup of tea.
Now this terrible ordeal is being used to do good and potentially help many of the tens of thousands of women that find themselves in similar situations.

It has already been welcomed by domestic violence crisis organisations given its simplicity and practical application.

Katy, a mum-of-one, found pre-installed panic buttons risked making a bad situation even worse and many victims were unable to reach them in the event of violent incidents in the heat of the moment.

Katy explained: “I met my ex partner in 2010 and at first I honestly felt he was too good to be true. But in a matter of months I began to see his true colours.
“Slowly the cracks began to show in our relationship. He used to tell me he was working away but would stay in local hotels and follow me. When I saw his car parked near where I worked I confronted him and he said I was imagining things.

“In May 2013 things became violent when I went out clubbing with a female friend while he was supposed to be away working. He turned up at the closing time of the night club, accused me of cheating and head butted me in the face three times.

“That left me with a broken nose and two black eyes. I wanted out of the relationship but he would force himself onto me.

“He would often threaten to kill me.”

Despite successfully ending the relationship, Katy’s ordeal was far from over. It wasn’t long before she was stalked and harassed on an almost daily basis. Her ex would break into her house and hide in the cellar waiting for her to return home from work.

“In May 2016, my new partner was working away and my ex came to my house. When I opened the door he barged his way in and started to strangle me. He then threw my 18-month-old across the room and started hitting me, breakingtwo ribs.

“I was pregnant at the time and he threw me down the stairs so I lost the baby. I managed to break away from him and activate my panic alarm, but the police had disconnected it.

“Luckily my neighbours heard the noise and called the police. I eventually went into a women’s refuge and moved to Northern Ireland where my new partner was posted.”

Five months later a package arrived and to her horror Katy realised her ex had managed to track her down. This contributed to the break down of her new relationship and eventually Katy decided to try and end her life.

She add: “I woke up in hospital and something inside me clicked. I realised I need to fight my ex and restart my life with a new job.”

Her ordeal with her ex continued off and on for a further 18 months until he was finally sectioned and Katy was able to get the right court orders in place.
She came up with the Ask Joan concept during the darkest hours of her ordeal.

She added: “When I felt he was displaying the type of behaviour that would lead him to abuse me I always went to the kettle to try and make a cup of tea to calm the situation down.

“I wished there was something on the kettle so that I could secretly raise the alarm. When I tried to press the panic button my ex tried to strangle me.”
Ask Joan is being pushed out throughout the UK and abroad and the early signs are that it could really make a difference to victims of domestic abuse everywhere.

Contact Katy Longhurst for comment or interview opportunities:

Telephone: +44 7398 22 54 39
Email: katy.longhurst@bcdata.co.uk