Technology Safety And Resources

If you are in immediate danger, call 911.

For help at any time, call our 24-Hour hotline: 1-800-660-6667

Technology use has increased in every aspect of our lives, and although it can be useful at times. It can also be used as a negative controlling tool in an abusive relationship. Technology can be used as a way to monitor location, invade privacy, harass and torment others. If you feel you are in abusive situation that stems from technology, there are ways to minimize risk.

Keep your social media accounts private. Do not accept, message or friend anyone that you do not know in person. Abuser’s may use fake accounts to appear as someone they are not.

Increasing safety and privacy on your cell phone. If you suspect that someone may have physical access into your phone there are ways to make your cellular device safer.

1. Put a passcode on your phone-some phones allow you to do a passcode that is longer than 4 digits or that can be locked via your fingerprint or facial recognition;

2. Secure your phones account at the phone company. Set up with your provider a password that is needed to access information to your phone account. This can be in person or online access to your account;

3. Turn off all your location sharing. Phones now have a built in GPS that can pinpoint your location. Turn off your location sharing abilities in your cellular device. Some phones may allow you to share only with a select few people-choose people whom you can trust to have access to your location and inform them that they are the ones that have access;

4. Whenever possible reset settings on you cell phone. Resetting your settings and updating privacy settings should clear your phone. Resetting your phone will clear any saved account passwords for logging in. When logging in for future use, do not indicate that you would like the device to “Remember me”.

5. When resetting your privacy settings, you should be able to indicate that you do not want locations turned on in any app that may be installed on your device.

6. Try not to store sensitive information or use your phone as a way to look up topics such as the abuse that is happening to you or information regarding your safety plan; or

7. Know what your phone provides as far as emergency shut offs or resets. Some carriers now have resets or hotlines for assistance for survivors.  

Email is not always the safest, most confidential way to talk to someone about the danger or abuse you are experiencing in life; please call Violence Intervention Project at the hotline listed above instead.

Do your best to use a computer that would be safe. If you feel that your computer/internet actions are being monitored and/or checked, try to use a friend’s, family member’s or public computer when trying to set up a safety plan to escape your current situation.

Use a variety of username’s and passwords. Do not use the same username or password for multiple accounts. Do not use special names or dates as passwords, as an abuser may be able to guess or get lucky while trying to hack in to an account.

Clear the history and cache on your computer. Computers can provide a lot of information, from what you search, watch/listen to, and even who you may chat with. You can clear the history and cache on your computer, but this does not permanently delete everything. If you do not typically clear your search history this could also set an abuser off in a way of suspicion. Whenever possible use a computer that the abuser does not have access to.