Librarian Provides Hidden Phones in Books to Help Abused Women
Librarian Molly Riportella is providing hidden phones in books to help women in abusive relationships seek help and access resources.
Librarian's Idea to Help Abused Women
Librarian Molly Riportella, who is a survivor of domestic abuse, understands the power of books and the importance of a phone for people in violent relationships. When a woman in an abusive relationship approached her two years ago, Riportella gave her a phone programmed with resources. This experience inspired her to start carving hidden compartments in discarded books from her library, filling them with burner phones programmed with local resource contacts.
The hidden phones, known as "Book-it-2-Freedom Kits" or Bi2FKs, are given out to women in abusive relationships. They serve as a lifeline for these women, especially in situations where their partners monitor their phone calls and texts. The phones contain resources for safety planning, legal action, and other services that Riportella wished she had during her own abusive relationship.
To avoid detection, Riportella puts the phone on silent mode and removes any trace of the library stamp or bar code. She also formed BiblioUnderground, a grassroots library and social justice movement, to help distribute the hidden phones and support those in abusive situations.
Helping Victims of Domestic Abuse
As a librarian, Riportella frequently encounters women seeking resources to escape abusive situations. One woman who approached her in 2022 was being monitored by her abusive boyfriend. Riportella, having recently switched phone plans, gave the woman a spare phone to use. This phone became a lifeline for the woman, enabling her to reach out to domestic abuse shelters and eventually leave her boyfriend.
Word of Riportella's initiative spread, and other community programs directors, like Elizabeth LaRosee, have received phone kits from her. LaRosee gave a phone kit to an abused woman whose phone was tied to her husband's account. The secret phone allowed the woman to access emergency housing and other services, enabling her to leave her husband.
Riportella's initiative aims to provide a vital resource to domestic violence survivors who often lack access to communication with the outside world. By providing hidden phones in books, she helps these women break free from the financial and technological control exerted by their abusers.
Addressing the Issue of Digital Domestic Abuse
Technology is frequently used by abusers to control, stalk, and intimidate their victims. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, technology-facilitated abuse occurs in 97% of intimate partner abuse cases. Survivors need to connect with local victim service providers for comprehensive safety planning that takes into account their reliance on technology for communication.
Riportella herself experienced controlling behavior in the past when her boyfriend searched her phone and isolated her from seeking help. She recognizes that access to a phone is just one part of escaping domestic violence, but hopes that by providing secure phones, more women will have the courage to stand up for themselves and share their stories of abuse with trusted individuals.
While Riportella's initiative is still in its early stages, she is raising funds to expand her efforts and aims to collaborate with shelters and organizations to directly deliver phone kits to those in need. Her long-term goal is to support more victims and break the stigma surrounding violent relationships.
