What is technological abuse?

Technology improves all the time. Abusers are people who hurt you. Some abusers can control people by using mobile phones, apps, and on websites like Facebook or Instagram. People can be tricked and feel alone. If someone you care about, like a partner or family member is using technology to hurt you this is a form of domestic abuse.

Technological abuse examples:

- Sending rude or horrible messages or emails.

- Making phone calls to tell a person what to do, or bully them.

- Making a person take photos to show where they are.

- Reading a person's texts.

- Not letting a person have a mobile phone or device.

- Saying which person is allowed to message.

- Using a phone app to spy or track someone.

- Sharing private photos of a person (e.g. revenge porn).

- Secretly reading messages and emails without them knowing.

- Hacking a person’s account (e.g. Facebook).

Abuse can make you feel sad, worried, or controlled.

Technological abuse can make it hard to end a relationship.

If this happens you need to talk to get help.

Remember technological abuse can happen after you end a relationship. It is a dangerous time. Always plan ways to stay safe.

Ways to stay safe:

- Learn the ways people can abuse you.

- Know how to stay safe online. Do not use your full name or photo, this helps people find you.

- Use strong passwords.

- Never use the same password on different websites

- Make sure your security questions are secret

- Use 2-step verification. Websites have information on how to set this up.

- Sign out when finished online.

- Check phone, computer, laptop, and tablet location settings. Turn off ‘location services’.

- If your phone, computer, laptop, or tablet has bluetooth. Turn it off.

- Use private or ‘incognito’ mode when searching online. This is important if you are looking for help.

- Clear your internet history.

- Internet quizzes that need personal information are dangerous. Never complete these in. People use the information to hack your account.

For ways to be safe online you can find more information here: www.refugetechsafety.org .