With the rapid development of COVID-19, it is a priority to help ensure the health and safety of our employees, customers, partners, and communities. We continue to reduce the risk to ensure that our customer support and services continue without interruption. Our thoughts are with our customers, employees, communities, people affected, and healthcare professionals who are working around the clock to help people in need.
At Protective Group, we are protecting our employees in affected areas by allowing them to work remotely, taking additional sanitary precautions, restricting visiting guests, and even physically closing some offices temporarily as needed. Our services and sales teams, as well as our partners, are working together to help meet our customers’ business-critical service needs.
Research demonstrates that family violence increases after emergency and natural disaster situations such as bushfires, earthquakes and hurricanes. Based on these experiences, before lockdowns and restrictions were introduced in Australia we knew that violence in the home was likely to increase- unfortunately it has.
Previous pandemics and natural disasters have taught us that found that women’s experiences of violence tend to be dismissed or excused more often during times of disaster or emergency with statements such as “He is just stressed.”
Contributing factors that can increase the risk of domestic violence in the home due to COVID-19 are:
-Financial insecurity, employment and housing insecurity
-Sustained periods of time that families are together due to quarantine.
-Victim-survivors also have a reduced ability to flee violence during restrictions and lockdowns
-Increase in violence due to living arrangements and the perpetrator may be spending more time at home
-Availability of access to support and community services due to workplace restrictions
-Working from home and associated stress
-Preparator who may not be living with the victim has more available time to harass, stalk and imitated
-Technology Abuse- Victims devices are more accessible and available to abuse/install malicious software
At Protective Group along with our group of brands, we are evolving and adjusting our health, safety and operational procedures on a daily level- as a crisis reminds us.
To evolve and ensure our services in these uncertain times are still available we have introduced services that are COVID-19 safe, we will never compromise on the quality and delivery of our services if we are unable for any given reason to undertake one of our services we will not for the safety of our team and customers.
Our COVID-19 safe services require no physical interaction between our team and customers.
Our brands have activated their business continuity plans ensuring our businesses and services can flow through to those who need it the most, especially in current times. Our support office team including IT, Finance and Operations are working remotely, our assessment continues to operate with enhanced safety guidelines in place, all business critical functions and department heads have no personal interaction with each other, ensuring our business can continue operating should a team member have a positive COVID-19 test result.
In our office we are reducing the number of face-to-face appointments with our clients, if a client due to exceptional circumstances is required to visit our office they will be required to wear a face mask and provide personal details to ensure appropriate contact tracing is in place. Our team members working with the public are required to follow all state and federal government guidelines at all times including the use of a face mask, the use of our smartphone app with regular daily COVID-19 questionnaire and practising social distancing at all times.
“At the beginning with COVD-19 we didn’t seem to see an increase in the request of our services, however, we were quickly wrong. After 4 weeks of the original stage three restrictions being implemented, we started to see a substantial increase in the use of our services. Most of the people that were coming to us commented that they couldn’t escape the violence and the home as the perpetrator was living there, there was simply no opportunity for the victim to escape”
“The victims would often tell us that because the perpetrator was either not working due to the virus or wasn’t able to go out to sport or social events they were spending more time at home harassing and causing physical violence. Technology Abuse comes to mind as the perpetrator has had greater access to the victims phones.”
With more people at home, working and spending time Online it’s become the weapon of choice of perpetrators. Victims movements can no longer be tracked visually, workplaces are no longer available to be seen-in and public transport is no longer an option to track a victim- Technology abuse is the new norm.
We have seen a triple-digit increase in our Technology Abuse services since the onset of COVID-19 and as each stage of restrictions is applied the demand for our services is increasing. No longer can you drop-in at your workplace and speak to your IT helpdesk team to check the security settings on your phone, no longer can you rely on a friend to pop around to check your social meeting settings, being at home connected to a WIFI network and/or smart home devices is the weapon of choice. Victims every move, every button pushed, every restaurant delivery is potentially being monitored by somebody who wishes harm against you.
Please visit Technology Abuse to learn more about this emerging abuse.
The impact COVID-19 is having on International Students and satellite industries is devastating. Protective Group along with its three brands has developed a four-stage Student Quarantine service. We are able to manage the 14-day government required quarantine for International and/or local students. This service is available subject to the appropriate Government and Border Force approval.
More information is available on request.
‘Out of sight’ does not mean ‘out of mind’ and that’s why we are here for you at Protective Group through COVID-19- all of our existing services are still operational.
Our national network is here to navigate the challenges that lie ahead for you, your clients and business. We have tailored our existing services to ensure that we can still operate to the best of our ability and exceed government’s guidelines and regulations.
Key Principles of our COVID-19 and Domestic Violence Services:
The Teksafe personal wearable duress alarm when activated provides an instant police response at the touch of a button via our 24/7 monitoring centre. Perfect for peace of mind for loved ones and workers during COVID-19.
We remotely remove any spyware, check social media settings, conduct an electronic sweep for tracking, listening, transmitting and recording devices and reset passwords and security questions.
Our App is ideal for loved ones, victims of family violence and corporate organisations. Features include geo fencing, GPS location when activated, R U OK messages and can send an alert to your friends, family and/or employer.
Our online training covers all aspects of awareness around Technology Abuse, how to secure your networks and devices and reduces risk and exposure to online predators and cyber bullies.
We took a hacked phone for a week – and were shocked at what we found out. It’s part of the bigger trend around using mobile phones to perpetuate family violence and harass people. Not only is it easy to do, it’s hard to find out if you’re being targeted. We spoke to a IT security analyst, family violence workers, government specialists and lawyers about what’s going on. And how you can fight back if you’re a target....
We took a hacked phone for a week – and were shocked at what we found out. It’s part of the bigger trend around using mobile phones to perpetuate family violence and harass people. Not only is it easy to do, it’s hard to find out if you’re being targeted. We spoke to a IT security analyst, family violence workers, government specialists and lawyers about what’s going on. And how you can fight back if you’re a target....
Having the security system has changed our lives dramatically, not only do we feel safe, we no longer have to peek out windows to see if we are being watched or stalked, and are able to record and playback any previous movement. The installation crew were exceptional, ensuring every angle of the property were covered that the system was easy to use and navigate, and that recorded info could be downloaded easily and efficiently if needed as proof. The install was very tidy and clean with no damage or mess to my property. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!!!
Just wanted to say thank you for the help and support you and your company have done for me and my family, since you have been out to my place to help with advice on security and getting security cameras installed we are already feeling much safer, the cameras have helped with my anxiety knowing it's recording 24 hrs a day, I feel I can finally sleep at night and not look out the window constantly worried for our safety.
We strongly support the Safer in the Home program and believe it is a valuable service which greatly contributes to the ongoing safety of individuals who have experienced domestic violence and family violence... The feedback received from individuals who have been referred to the program is overwhelmingly positive.
I was blown away by the amazing support I received from the Safer in the Home program. I feel safe staying in my home with my children now that the locks have been changed and broken window has been replaced.
Thank you so much for your contribution and support to our clients. Your service has been very professional and assistance has been excellent. We look forward to continuing to work with you and your team , and increasing access to safety for our women and children. Thank you specially to Safer in the Home for allowing us to utilise this valuable program, it really is making a difference in our community.
I cannot speak highly enough of the two representatives from the Safer in the Home program, very supportive, even after case was closed they still send me messages to check my safety.
The Safer in the Home program has assisted seven of my clients and their families to feel safer in their homes so that they can move forward with their lives in a positive way... I fully endorse the program which provides a thorough safety assessment of the home environment conducted by qualified and skilled assessors before upgrades are carried out. The program model has proven to be a valued resource in minimising the impact of domestic violence and family violence for the clients I assist in our community especially those that have suffered sexual violence or sexual assault- keeping women safe and empowered again!
