Home security and the prevention of domestic violence are two topics that are usually addressed separately by most available resources. One discusses locks and alarms, while the other focuses on supporting victims and judicial measures. Crossing these two areas allows us to assess where the real gaps in home protection lie and which levers produce documented results.
Connected home security and intrafamily violence: a mismatched market
The global market for smart home security was valued at 29.04 billion USD in 2024. Projections estimate it will reach 93.14 billion USD by 2032, with an annual growth rate of 15.9%. These figures reflect rapid expansion, driven by connected cameras, sensors, and alarm systems.
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Almost all of this offering targets anti-intrusion: detecting a burglar, monitoring an external access point, triggering a siren. Devices designed for intrafamily violence remain marginal in catalogs.
Several technologies could directly serve the protection of victims of domestic violence within the home. We’re talking about indoor cameras with a “panic button” function, sound sensors capable of detecting screams, or automatic cloud recording to preserve evidence. These uses technically exist, but manufacturers do not promote them. The French regulatory framework on data collection at home, combined with the complexity of violence situations, partly explains this mismatch.
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Coordinated community response protocols to domestic violence, such as those documented on blueprintforsafety.org, show that technology alone is not enough without an institutional support structure behind it.
Protection measures for victims: comparison of French measures
France has multiplied tools since the Grenelle against domestic violence in 2019. The table below compares the main prevention and protection measures, their nature, and their scope.
| Device | Type | Main target |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency telephone (TGD) | Alert / immediate protection | Victim under protection order |
| Anti-approach bracelet (BAR) | Judicial control / monitoring | Perpetrator of domestic violence |
| Protection order | Emergency civil measure | Victim and children |
| Priority processing of complaints | Recent judicial directive | Any victim filing a complaint |
| Support centers for perpetrators | Recidivism prevention | Perpetrator of violence |
The priority processing of domestic violence complaints at police stations and brigades is a recent development. The government has confirmed that these complaints must be prioritized over other offenses. The directive aims for all findings to be the subject of a complaint or a report to the prosecutor.
However, the effectiveness of these measures heavily depends on their local deployment. The TGD remains underutilized in some departments, and the anti-approach bracelet requires a judicial decision that can take time.
Primary prevention of family violence: game-changing factors
Prevention is not limited to responding after the fact. Acting on upstream factors reduces the incidence of violence before it occurs. Several levers are documented by public health research.
- Training for health and education professionals: recognizing early signals in children exposed to violence and in vulnerable adults allows for quicker referral to protection measures.
- Parenting support programs in child-parent reception areas (LAEP): these spaces provide a non-stigmatizing framework where families can be supported before situations deteriorate.
- Actions on societal factors: policies for gender equality, combating social isolation, and access to independent housing for victims address the structural conditions that foster violence.
The INSPQ (National Institute of Public Health of Quebec) emphasizes that diversifying strategies and mobilizing different sectors in concerted efforts yields better results than isolated actions. This observation also applies to the French context, where the Interministerial Plan for Equality 2023-2027 attempts to coordinate these areas.
The role of children exposed to violence
Children who witness domestic violence are at an increased risk of reproducing these behaviors in adulthood. Breaking this intergenerational cycle requires early intervention, distinct from that of adults.
Protection measures such as the protection order now include children. The law has expanded the scope so that visitation and custody rights can be suspended when the child’s safety is at stake.
Home security for victims: what technology cannot solve
Installing an alarm system or a connected camera in a home where intrafamily violence occurs poses specific problems. The perpetrator often lives in the same household and controls access to digital equipment.
A conventional home security device can even become a tool for surveillance and coercive control. The victim does not always have control over access codes or recorded data. This paradox is rarely addressed by residential security system manufacturers.
The most suitable solutions combine secure emergency housing, legal support to obtain the perpetrator’s removal, and portable alert tools (TGD) that only the victim is aware of. The physical security of the home only makes sense once the perpetrator is removed from the residence, through a protection order or judicial eviction.
The rate of deployment of these combined measures remains the true indicator of the effective protection of women and children victims of violence. Data shows that coordination between justice, law enforcement, and the non-profit sector determines the outcome far more than any technical equipment taken in isolation.