I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 6173 

To establish a pilot program to address technology-related abuse in domestic 

violence cases. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 2, 2023 

Ms. ESHOO (for herself and Mrs. LESKO) introduced the following bill; which 

was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary 

A BILL 

To establish a pilot program to address technology-related 

abuse in domestic violence cases. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Tech Safety for Vic5 tims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual As6 sault, and Stalking Act’’. 

7 SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 

8 Congress finds the following: 

9 (1) In the United States, 41 percent of women 

10 and 26 percent of men experience some form of sexVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 Nov 13, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6173.IH H6173

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1 ual violence, physical violence, or stalking, or a com2 bination thereof, by an intimate partner. 

3 (2) Many victims of intimate partner violence 

4 also experience nonphysical forms of abuse. 

5 (3) With the proliferation of digital technology, 

6 technological abuse has become increasingly preva7 lent and pervasive among victims of intimate partner 

8 violence. 

9 (4) According to a 2021 study by the National 

10 Network to End Domestic Violence, 97 percent of 

11 the programs providing support to victims of inti12 mate partner violence have indicated that abusers 

13 are making use of technology to stalk, harass, or 

14 control victims. 

15 (5) In the United States, 1 in 3 women under 

16 the age of 35 report being sexually harassed online, 

17 and over half of LGBTQ+ individuals report being 

18 the target of online abuse based on their sexual ori19 entation or gender. 

20 (6) Of victims who are stalked using tech21 nology— 

22 (A) 67 percent received unwanted phone 

23 calls, voice messages, or text messages; 

24 (B) 50 percent received unwanted emails 

25 or messages via the internet; 


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1 (C) about 35 percent said their activities 

2 were monitored using social media; 

3 (D) 27 percent experienced the offender 

4 posting or threatening to post inappropriate, 

5 unwanted, or personal information about them 

6 on the internet; and 

7 (E) 19 percent said the offender spied on 

8 them or monitored their activities using tech9 nologies such as listening devices, cameras, or 

10 computer or cellphone monitoring software. 

11 (7) Technological abuse runs the gamut of tech12 nical sophistication, from the most basic social 

13 media platforms and phone-based apps to specialty 

14 stalkerware apps, demonstrating that technological 

15 abuse does not require huge financial resources or 

16 complex knowledge of technology. 

17 (8) Rapid advances in the technology and meth18 ods for technological abuse present challenges for 

19 advocates seeking to advise victims and prevent tech20 nological abuse. 

21 (9) The integration of trained technology ex22 perts into survivor support networks has been suc23 cessful in preventing and shielding survivors from 

24 technological abuse. 


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1 SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS. 

2 In this Act: 

3 (1) DIRECTOR.—The term ‘‘Director’’ means 

4 the Director of the Office on Violence Against 

5 Women. 

6 (2) ELIGIBLE CONSORTIUM.—The term ‘‘eligi7 ble consortium’’ means an association— 

8 (A) between— 

9 (i)(I) 1 or more institutions of higher 

10 education that offers a masters, doctoral, 

11 or vocational program in information tech12 nology, cybersecurity, computer science, or 

13 other similar technological discipline; or 

14 (II) 1 or more private or public sector 

15 partners in the community with a technical 

16 workforce and a plan for recruiting tech17 nologists or volunteers to work alongside a 

18 victim service provider (as defined in sec19 tion 40002(a) of the Violence Against 

20 Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(a)); 

21 and 

22 (ii) 1 or more public or private domes23 tic violence or sexual violence centers; and 

24 (B) which has a letter of support from the 

25 local, State, Tribal, or territorial government 

26 with jurisdiction over the area in which the acVerDate Sep 11 2014 22:46 Nov 13, 2023 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H6173.IH H6173

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1 tivities to combat technological abuse will be 

2 implemented. 

3 (3) INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION.—The 

4 term ‘‘institution of higher education’’ has the 

5 meaning given that term in section 101 of the High6 er Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001). 

7 (4) PILOT PROGRAM.—The term ‘‘pilot pro8 gram’’ means the pilot program established under 

9 section 4(a)(1). 

10 (5) TECHNOLOGICAL ABUSE.—The term ‘‘tech11 nological abuse’’ has the meaning given the term in 

12 section 40002(a)(40) of the Violence Against 

13 Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(a)(40)). 

14 SEC. 4. PILOT PROGRAM TO COMBAT TECHNOLOGICAL 

15 ABUSE. 

16 (a) PILOT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Director, in accordance 

18 with paragraph (2), shall establish a pilot program 

19 under which the Director may award grants to eligi20 ble consortia to combat technological abuse. 

21 (2) CONSULTATION.—In preparing to establish 

22 the pilot program— 

23 (A) the Director shall consult with— 

24 (i) the Secretary of Health and 

25 Human Services; 


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1 (ii) the Secretary of Education; and 

2 (iii) the Chairman of the Federal 

3 Communications Commission; and 

4 (B) the Director and the officers described 

5 in subparagraph (A) shall consult with relevant 

6 stakeholders, including— 

7 (i) groups that work on reducing tech8 nological abuse; and 

9 (ii) population specific and culturally 

10 specific victim service providers. 

11 (3) APPLICATION.—An eligible consortium de12 siring a grant under this section shall submit to the 

13 Director an application at such time, in such man14 ner, and containing or accompanied by such infor15 mation, as the Director may reasonably require. 

16 (4) GRANT LIMITS.— 

17 (A) AWARD AMOUNT.—A grant awarded 

18 under the pilot program shall be in an amount 

19 that is not more than $2,000,000. 

20 (B) NUMBER OF RECIPIENTS.—Not more 

21 than 15 grants may be awarded under the pilot 

22 program. 

23 (5) DURATION OF PILOT PROGRAM.—The pilot 

24 program shall terminate on the date that is 5 years 


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1 after the date of the first award under the pilot pro2 gram. 

3 (b) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.—A recipient of a grant 

4 under this section may use the amounts received under 

5 the grant to combat technological abuse, including for— 

6 (1) the purchase of new technological devices 

7 for victims and survivors of technological abuse; and 

8 (2) any other use, including the provision of vic9 tim services, that will reduce technological abuse or 

10 assist victims and survivors of technological abuse. 

11 (c) PILOT PROGRAM REVIEW.— 

12 (1) DURING PILOT PROGRAM.—Not later than 3 

13 years after the date of the first award under the 

14 pilot program, the Director shall submit to each 

15 committee of Congress with jurisdiction of the activi16 ties carried out under the pilot program a report— 

17 (A) reviewing the efficacy of the pilot pro18 gram; 

19 (B) indicating challenges to implementa20 tion and possible solutions; and 

21 (C) including a recommendation relating to 

22 whether the pilot program should be turned 

23 into a permanent program. 

24 (2) AFTER PILOT PROGRAM TERMINATION.— 

25 Not later than 1 year after the date on which the 


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1 pilot program terminates under subsection (a)(5), 

2 the Director shall submit to each committee of Con3 gress with jurisdiction of the activities carried out 

4 under the pilot program a report reviewing the effi5 cacy of the pilot program, including best practices 

6 and improvements needed to combat technological 

7 abuse. 

8 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

9 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec10 essary to carry out this section. 

11 SEC. 5. GRANT PROGRAM TO PROVIDE EDUCATION ON 

12 TECHNOLOGICAL ABUSE. 

13 (a) GRANT PROGRAM AUTHORIZED.—The Director 

14 in consultation with the Secretary of Education and the 

15 Secretary of Health and Human Services shall establish 

16 a program under which the Director may award grants 

17 to nonprofit organizations and institutions of higher edu18 cation to develop and implement training and educational 

19 programs and technical assistance for organizations and 

20 individuals who provide support for victims of techno21 logical abuse. 

22 (b) MULTIPLE GRANTS.—A recipient of a grant 

23 under section 4 is not barred from receiving a grant under 

24 this section. 


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1 (c) USE OF GRANT FUNDS.—A nonprofit organiza2 tion or institution of higher education shall use the 

3 amounts received under a grant under this section to de4 velop tools, curricula, and other materials. 

5 (d) GRANT PROGRAM LIMITS.— 

6 (1) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The Director may 

7 award a total of not more than $20,000,000 in 

8 grants under this section. 

9 (2) PERIOD OF GRANTS.—The Director shall 

10 award grants under this section for a period of 5 

11 years. 

12 (e) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

13 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec14 essary to carry out this section. 

Æ 


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