In March 2024, George Mason University announced the receipt of a $5 million gift to support research into the use of AI in detecting domestic violence. The research uses a combination of alternate light sources and AI to identify injuries.

The research looks to be more accurate than the current methodology. It can detect bruising and other injuries on dark skin in a way that traditional white light cannot. Researchers also hope that it will be able to better pinpoint the age of injuries.

Beneficial as this research is, the university hasn't yet published how it will determine the cause of bruises. Individuals facing false accusations may have a harder time disproving allegations. The technology also risks undercutting the damage of emotional and psychological abuse.

The LLF Law Firm Family Law Team works with individuals throughout Pennsylvania who face allegations of domestic violence and abuse. We seek to understand the whole situation and help our clients understand their options. Call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online form.

Imperfect Technology

What hasn't yet been addressed is how this technology will be able to tell how an injury occurred. Abusers may create injuries to suggest that the victim is the abuser. A spouse may claim that their partner caused unrelated injuries as a way to gain full custody of children or get a better deal in a divorce.

That AI may help identify bruising and other injuries doesn't mean that it can accurately identify the source or reasoning behind an injury. A bruised arm could be the result of someone grabbing a person's arm to prevent them from stepping in front of a car.

Alternatively, the lack of documented injuries doesn't mean someone isn't suffering from domestic violence. Emotional and psychological abuse can be just as damaging as physical abuse but remains harder to prove.

Technology that makes it easier to detect physical injury may make it more difficult for domestic abuse victims without physical injuries to get the support they need. False claims can hurt someone's reputation, their relationships, and their career.

Accusations of abuse may affect both short- and long-term custody agreements. They may force someone to leave their family home. If a court grants a Protection from Abuse order, that may show up on a background check and affect someone's ability to get a job.

This AI-backed technology may be beneficial but doesn't address some of the most pressing issues in domestic violence cases. That abuse can be mutual, or that one partner may lie won't show up in a scan.

Protect Your Future

False or misleading accusations of domestic violence are a form of abuse. They're a way of controlling a partner and manipulating a situation to their advantage.

Alternatively, improved technology can make it more difficult for those without physical injury to get support. Technology has its place, but it isn't perfect, and those with malicious intentions often learn how to use new technology to their advantage.

The LLF Law Firm Family Law Team works with people throughout Pennsylvania facing domestic abuse issues. We help our clients assemble evidence, navigate the process, and tell their side of the story. Call us at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online form.