INFONET SYSTEM'S SURVIVOR-CENTERED APPROACHES TO DATA COLLECTION ARE HIGHLIGHTED AT THE 2025 NET VIRTUAL TECH SUMMIT

InfoNet research manager, Jennifer Hiselman, and the Illinois Coalition Against Domestic Violence (ICADV)’s technical assistance director, Samantha Dickens, presented at the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV) Safety Net Virtual Tech Summit in July 2025. Their presentation titled, "The Imperfect Road of Data Collection: Centering Survivors” provided an overview of InfoNet’s 30-year history including its development and evolution on standardizing victim service data collection. Presenters discussed the importance of maintaining survivor confidentiality by not collecting personally identifying information (PII), giving agencies discretion in reporting certain data, and enhancing InfoNet’s data security practices. Additionally, presenters highlighted the challenges with needing to regularly satisfy new and complex funder data reporting requirements. To help address these challenges, presenters noted using the survivor-centered approach of convening InfoNet advisory groups and ICADV ad hoc workgroups as well as conducting survivor focus groups to gather feedback on funder data collection requirements. This session provided advocates and other victim service stakeholders with valuable tools and innovative strategies aimed to enhance services while maximizing survivor privacy and safety.