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Abusers often use technology as a tool to control and manipulate their victims. They misuse technology by monitoring the victim’s use of technology by keeping tabs on their devices such as phones and computers by using spyware. Spyware is computer software that is installed on an unsuspecting victim and gathers data on the user.
How to tell you are being spied on
There is no exact science you can use to tell if you are being spied on. There are a few tell-tale signs that can alert you to https://www.expressvpn.com/internet-privacy/tech-safety-guide-domestic-violence/
- If at some point your abuser had taken away your device for some time
- Your abuser insists on you using a particular device
- Your device behaves in a peculiar manner that is not normal
- Your abuser knows a little too much that they should know about your activities and communication
- You keep getting notifications about someone trying to access your accounts.
- If you have left the abuser already, and the abuser is using technology to harass you, it may be hard to convince anyone that you are being spied on. However, you should trust your gut instinct and make sure you do a few things:
- Documentation
Documentation is critical in such situations because you will have a record of the abuse, in case you want to press charges. Documentation also helps you monitor whether your abuser’s monitoring is becoming worse, which indicates a dangerous situation. By documentation, you see a pattern to the abuse and maybe help you to determine how https://www.ocadsv.org/resources/browse/279 technology.
Keep an incident log for posterity’s sake. Include the date, time, the location and police officer’s details if you reported the incident. Include any witnesses, the type of technology used such as email or phone and a short and precise description of the incident.
- Secure financial independence
One way that abusers establish dominance is through financial dependence. Once you become financial independence, you are well on your way to financial freedom by first securing your finances. Protecting your bank account means letting it stay in your mane if you had an account previously.
- Avoid banking online
- If your abuser is using spyware to https://nnedv.org/mdocs-posts/technology-safety-planing-with-survivors/ , banking online via your computer or phone renders you very vulnerable to your abuser. You cannot afford to risk, so the best solution is to ask your bank to disable any internet and phone banking.
Exit joint accounts
Any money that is held in a joint account is best left alone if you can. This account will be one way your abuser uses to monitor your financial independence. You may withdraw from this account, but your transactions can be reviewed and your abuser is privy to all your spending habits.
- Factory reset your phone
If you suspect you have spyware installed on your phone, the best solution would be to factory reset the phone and secure it with a strong password that your abuser cannot guess. Ensure the password has at least 7 digits and that you enable the phone’s encryption. If your phone was bugged, your abuser will no longer be able to track you using your phone.
Make your social media more secure
Your abuser might decide to monitor you through your social media accounts. Set your accounts to private and switch off location information. Do not share sensitive and personal information online that the abuser might use to track you.
- Conclusion
Tech safety for domestic abuse survivors is critical for their safety and peace of mind. Abuse comes in many forms: physical, emotional and mental. Abusers can use technology to manipulate and control their partners by installing spyware in the devices they use every day. Abuse survivors have to take steps to reclaim their lives after living a life of manipulation. These simple steps do not require one to be tech-savvy, but careful about how they live their personal and social media lives by being low key in both. An abuser might stalk a victim on social media, so making accounts private and having strong passwords is key.
Author:
Jack is an accomplished cybersecurity expert with years of experience under his belt at https://www.techwarn.com, a trusted digital agency to world-class cybersecurity companies. A passionate digital safety advocate himself, Jack frequently contributes to tech blogs and digital media sharing expert insights on cybersecurity and privacy tools.
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