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Throughout North America, thousands of abused women seek safe havens daily. Battered women’s shelters are spread throughout large cities and towns, though the addresses of these safe homes are largely unknown to the general public. Now, GPS-enabled cellphones threaten the anonymity of these secure addresses.

Various women’s shelters in Winnipeg, Manitoba, are asking women to leave cellphones behind. Abusers who know how to track GPS-enabled cellphones can easily discover the whereabouts of an abused victim via cellphone. Other shelters that still allow cellphones have posted notices warning women that a mere cellphone can become a serious danger.

Often, abusers make every effort to hunt down victims. There are various reasons why this occurs. Some abusers wish to make amends with victims while other abusers wish to keep victims quiet through the use of threats. In either case, a battered woman who seeks shelter might be putting her life, and the lives of others, in danger by carrying a GPS-enabled cell phone.

Nearly 60,000 battered women in Canada sought safety from an attacker in 2003. This number has largely expanded throughout the past 9 years. Within the United States, 1500 shelters exist for more than 50,000 women in need.

While many people assume that violence against women is rare, the fact of the matter is that 22 percent of all middle class divorces occur due to violence. Many women who are currently married to an abusive husband do not live long enough to seek shelter. Even though women’s shelters can provide a safe place for abused women to hide, shelters might become an easy target for abusers if cellphones are not banned.

Article Written by Harriette Halepis