Technology is woven into almost every aspect of our day-to-day lives—shopping, banking, social media, and communication. Unfortunately, this deep reliance on devices and online platforms has also opened the door to a form of domestic abuse known as tech abuse. In this blog, we will explore what tech abuse involves, how it manifests, and steps you can take to protect yourself or someone you know.

What Is Tech Abuse?

Tech abuse (technology-facilitated abuse) is the misuse of any form of technology—mobile phones, social media, home devices, software—to harass, stalk, threaten, or control someone else. It encompasses:

• Hacking and spying: Gaining unauthorised access to emails, social media accounts, online banking, or text messages.
• Stalker-ware: Installing covert apps on a partner’s or ex-partner’s device to track their location and monitor calls or messages.
• Smart home systems: Using gadgets like Ring video doorbells or Google Home Hubs to surveil victims, intrude on their privacy, or verbally abuse them through connected devices.
• Online manipulation: Setting up fake profiles, posting harmful or false information, or sending abusive messages to the victim or their friends/family.

Tech abuse can have a devastating impact on survivors, eroding their sense of safety and wellbeing.

Technology & Domestic Abuse

Tech abuse is classified as a form of domestic abuse and coercive control. It can form part of a broader pattern of abuse or arise for the first time after separation:

• During a relationship: Partners may engage in covert surveillance, emotional manipulation, or monitoring of the other person.
• After a relationship ends: This post-separation abuse can continue through unwanted contact, hacking attempts, or even manipulative use of shared family apps.

According to the charity Refuge, in 2019, 72% of the women who accessed its services had been subjected to technology-facilitated abuse. This alarming statistic underscores how commonplace this form of abuse has become.

Spotting Tech Abuse

Technology-facilitated abuse is often hidden and can be difficult to prove. Yet it may present in various ways, such as:

• Constant harassment: Persistent calls, texts, or social media messages that leave you feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
• Location tracking: Unauthorised GPS tracking on your phone or car, or unexpected knowledge of your whereabouts.
• Online impersonation: Fake social media accounts or emails pretending to be you, leading to reputational harm.
• Device tampering: Discovery of unknown apps, changed passwords, or tampered security settings on your devices.

How to Support a Victim of Tech Abuse

If someone confides in you about tech abuse:

1. Listen and believe: Offer a non-judgemental ear—do not victim-blame.
2. Encourage professional support: If it’s safe, share helpline numbers, such as the free 24-hour National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247, or advise them to call 999 in immediate danger.
3. Research: Understand how technology can be misused and share information on how to secure devices.
4. Assist discreetly: If they need help changing passwords or setting up new accounts, do so carefully to avoid alerting the abuser.

Post-Separation Abuse and Technology

Even after leaving an abusive relationship, the survivor may still face tech abuse. Abusers may:

• Use co-parenting apps (or avoid them) as a gateway to continue harassment. Tools like OurFamilyWizard can help structure communication safely.
• Escalate financial and emotional abuse through repeated court applications or by withholding child maintenance.
• Harvest personal data from devices to further harass the victim.

Remember, simply finalising a divorce or separation doesn’t always stop an abuser. Keeping devices secure and using carefully chosen communication methods can mitigate ongoing risks.

Protecting Yourself from Tech Abuse

• Check device security: Update passwords, remove unknown apps, and ensure two-factor authentication is enabled on important accounts.
• Use safe communication tools: Platforms designed for family law or co-parenting can help record abusive messages.
• Document everything: Keep screenshots of abuse, note call records, and secure messages that might serve as evidence.
• Seek legal advice: Specialist family solicitors can help you obtain injunctions, such as Non-Molestation Orders, if tech abuse is part of a wider pattern of domestic violence.

Contact HM & Co. Solicitors

Are you experiencing tech abuse, or worried about a friend or family member? Our expert team at HM & Co. Solicitors can provide confidential advice and guide you through the legal steps needed to secure your and your children’s safety.

• Address: 186 Lower Road, Surrey Quays, London SE16 2UN
• Telephone: 02071128180
• Email: info@hmsolicitorsltd.com

We understand the unique challenges posed by technology-facilitated abuse and are dedicated to offering empathetic, effective legal support.