Tech-facilitated family violence

What is tech-facilitated family violence?

Typically referred to as "tech-facilitated abuse, “tech-based abuse” or "tech-enabled abuse, tech-facilitated family violence is a serious issue.

Tech-facilitated family violence is when someone close to you like a family member, partner, ex-partner, flatmate or someone you have a close personal relationship with uses technology to monitor, harass, control, intimidate, stalk, or coerce you.

Family violence is most often a pattern of behaviour used to control, harm, frighten or intimidate. Some of the behaviours may not be seen as abusive on their own. The person using violence targets their behaviours at what is most important to that person, to isolate, control, frighten and limit that person’s choices.

Family violence can include controlling behaviours, physical abuse, sexual abuse, economic abuse, systems abuse, spiritual abuse, stalking, isolation and gaslighting. A person can use technology to perpetrate all of these types of abuse.

Like offline abuse, online abuse can have significant impacts on a person's dignity, autonomy and freedom. People experiencing this abuse may have to constantly modify their behaviour to try to keep themselves and others safe.

It's important to remember that these behaviours are not okay, and it’s not your fault.

Help and support are available, and you are not alone in this.

If you’re concerned about the immediate safety of yourself or someone else, call 111(tel:111).

If you're experiencing online abuse, fallen victim to a scam, or need some advice about another online issue, Netsafe is here to support you.

Our helpline is free, confidential and non-judgmental - providing expert advice and assistance seven days a week.

Report online (https://report.netsafe.org.nz/hc/en-au/requests/new)Email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])Text 'Netsafe' to 4282 (sms:4282?body=Netsafe)Live chat support Call 0508 638 723 8am-8pm weekdays, 9am-5pm weekends (tel:0508638723)New Zealanders overseas can call +64 9 666 0840 (tel:+6496660840)

Recognising the signs of technology-facilitated family violence

The signs of technology-facilitated family violence can be subtle.

Questions to consider:

• Does your partner, or someone you are concerned about, seem to know private details you haven't shared with them?
• Do they have access to your digital devices or accounts such as emails and social media?
• Are they attempting to control or pressure you in how you use technology and social media?
• Do they use digital means to communicate in ways that are hurtful or intimidating?
• Have they posted offensive or embarrassing content about you online?
• Do they pressure you to send intimate photos or videos?
• Have they shared or threatened to share intimate content of yours without consent?
• Have they provided you with digital devices or installed apps on your devices without your agreement, or by pressuring you to agree?
• Have they manufactured digital sexualised forgeries of you, also known as 'deepfakes', or threatened to manufacture forged sexualised images of you?

Additional warning signs of tech-based abuse:

• Receiving emails or messages that appear to be read before you have had the chance to read them.
• Frequent password resets that you did not initiate.
• Messages disappearing when you haven’t deleted them.
• Unexpected abusive emails or texts from unknown or anonymous senders.
• Discovery of unauthorized social media accounts created in your name.
• Your device is losing battery quicker than usual or your device is turning off and on unexpectedly.

Examples of abusive behaviours involving technology:

• Sending abusive, threatening, or harassing messages through texts, emails, or social media platforms. Sending images that threaten the victim, their friends, family and pets.
• ​​​Non-consensual sharing or threatening to share intimate images or videos, also known as ‘image-based abuse’ or ‘revenge porn’.
• Monitoring your whereabouts or online activities secretly via a surveillance device or spyware.
• Restricting or controlling your access to technology or online platforms.
• Financial abuse such as, unexpected transactions on bank statements, denied access to personal accounts, or receiving notifications about account changes you did not authorize.
• Using technology to control or manipulate home appliances, locks and connected devices.
• Using tracking devices in toys, cards and devices to monitor locations and activities.
• Sending menacing messages and images that aim to cause the victim reputational harm.
• 'Doxing' by posting the victim's personal information on social media or elsewhere online.

If you are experiencing these behaviours, it's not your fault. Help is available.

Steps you can take if you're feeling unsafe

Having an online safety plan may be helpful.

Device safety

When escaping a person using violence, you may want to think about the security of your phone or devices:

• Alternative phone or devices: If there is a risk your partner might access your device, use one they can't access. This could be a phone borrowed from a friend or supplied by a family violence service.
• Communication may be monitored: Avoid using shared family devices for arranging escape plans, as call and message logs could disclose sensitive information.
• Spyware: Netsafe can provide advice about spyware(/online-safety-at-home/anti-virus-software) if you suspect you are being monitored.

Account safety

Doing what you can to secure your accounts(/online-safety-at-home/keeping-accounts-safe-with-online-security):

• Security: Use strong, unpredictable passwords(/online-safety-at-home/how-to-choose-a-good-password) and, if feasible, use facial recognition or fingerprints for device access, alternatively a pin code no one would be familiar with.
• Secondary email: Maintain your standard email for appearances but create a secondary one with an anonymous name to keep communications safe. Always ensure you log out after use.
• Social media privacy: Utilise platform privacy settings(/social-media-safety) to control what you share and who can see your posts. Regularly review your contacts, friends and followers, and limit location sharing.
• Multi-factor authentication: Always enable for an additional layer of security, ensuring verification codes are directed to secure accounts or devices.
• Synced accounts: Ensure your accounts are not linked or synced to existing accounts others may have access to.

Browsing safely

Web browsers can retain a significant amount of your personal information. To enhance your privacy we suggest that you regularly clear your cookies and browsing history.

Additionally, consider using private browsing mode for sensitive searches to minimise tracking and keep your data more secure.

Below are steps you can follow for some popular web browsers:

• Google Chrome: Open Chrome, head to ‘Settings’, and select ‘New incognito window’ to initiate private browsing.
• Apple Safari: Click on ‘File’ and choose ‘New Private Window’ to start a private browsing session.
• Mozilla Firefox: Open Firefox, click on the menu button, and select ‘New Private Window’ for privatised browsing.
• Internet Explorer: In Internet Explorer, go to ‘Settings’, choose ‘Safety’, and click on ‘InPrivate Browsing’ to enable this mode.
• Microsoft Edge: Click the ellipsis (…) in the top-right corner of the window and select ‘New InPrivate window’ to surf the web privately.

By using private browsing modes, you can help ensure your online activities are secure, making it harder for a person using violence against you to track your searches and site visits.

Protecting your location

Location data can compromise your safety:

• Disable GPS tracking: Consider turning off your device’s location settings and check all app permissions that you are only sharing information with apps you consent to. Turn off the permission sharing your location unless it enhances your safety. You may also want to consider deleting the apps you no longer use.
• Bluetooth and Wi-Fi: Keep these turned off on your device when not in use to prevent external tracking. Remember wearable devices such as Fitbits also use Wi-Fi or Bluetooth to connect with apps.

Home safety

Think about your home environment in terms of technology and safety:

• Smart home devices: If you can, safeguard devices with unique passwords and use two-factor authentication. Cover webcams when not in use.
• Control over home security: If you are able to, ensure you have exclusive access to, and control over, your home’s security devices like alarms and digital locks.

Keep evidence

Only do this if you believe it is safe to do so. You can also refer to our more detailed advice on how to record digital evidence(/online-abuse-and-harassment/how-to-record-digital-evidence) for further information.

• Document the online abuse by taking screenshots of the communications and the accounts sending them.
• Record the times and dates of messages received or unusual activity on your device or accounts.
• If you have a safe email address, send your evidence to this account to ensure no one else can access it.

Contact Netsafe

If you're experiencing online abuse, fallen victim to a scam, or need some advice about another online issue, Netsafe is here to support you.

Our helpline is free, confidential and non-judgmental - providing expert advice and assistance seven days a week.

If you've had your intimate images shared, or someone is threatening to share them, go to our advice on image-based abuse(/online-abuse-and-harassment/image-based-abuse) to find out about the steps you can take to prevent them being shared further.

You can contact Netsafe to discuss the steps you can take and for further information about the tools available to help with the takedown of intimate images posted online.

Report online (https://report.netsafe.org.nz/hc/en-au/requests/new)Email [email protected] (mailto:[email protected])Text 'Netsafe' to 4282 (sms:4282?body=Netsafe)Live chat support Call 0508 638 723 8am-8pm weekdays, 9am-5pm weekends (tel:0508638723)New Zealanders overseas can call +64 9 666 0840 (tel:+6496660840)