TFGBV Toolkit
Responding to Survivors

Responding to Technology-Facilitated Domestic Violence

Complete & Continue Next Lesson Learn More

There are many ways that abusers or stalkers can misuse technology:

  • Monitoring technology use including computers, cell phones, tablets, “smart” devices, connected cars, or assistive technology.

  • Sending unwanted or threatening messages. These could be text messages, voicemail, or direct messages on an app.

  • Posting negative comments or images online.

  • Encouraging other people to commit harassment.

  • Hacking an individual’s accounts.

Who is at risk of TFGBV

Anyone can experience forms of technology-facilitated domestic violence, but there are certain risk factors which make an individual more vulnerable to abuse:

  • Low rates of digital literacy / unfamiliarity with technology

  • Previous loss of devices or restricted digital access

  • Partner or ex-partner with experience in internet technology (IT) or similar technology-based fields

  • Past controlling behaviour including constant criticism, monitoring communication, restricting access to loved one, financial control, preventing employment / independence, or jealous behaviour.

Screening Questions & Intake

  • Pay Attention to: Communication patterns, whether they indicate any potentially controlling behaviour in their communication or whether their communication is free of control

    Follow-ups: Are they a good communicator? Do they ever check your texts or monitor your whereabouts?

  • Pay Attention to: Potential mention of controlling digital behaviour, increased technology use or abuse, discussion of technology, or reference to a form of TFGBV

  • Pay Attention to: Whether they mention best practices for safety including difficult passwords or two-factor authentication. Many individuals assume they are secure by default but have not taken any precautions. If they have not mentioned precautions, encourage them to secure their accounts.

    Follow-up: Would you like to review a digital safety checklist?

  • Pay Attention to: Survivor’s knowledge and understanding of TFGBV. Survivors without an understanding of TFGBV will be more vulnerable as they are unaware of the types of abuse that can occur

Ensuring Digital Safety

When technology plays a role in an abusive relationship, it is important to consider how the survivor can best protect themselves and increase their safety. This can include developing a safety plan using risk-assessment questions and providing advise on best practices. For a survivor-led guide on enhancing digital safety, encourage them to download the digital safety guide.

Questions for Risk Assessment:

If you suspect TFGBV or they indicate concern about digital harm, below are some questions to understand the scope of the violence:

  • What devices do you use? Do these include tablets, mobiles, computers, or any smart technology? Who has access to your devices? Is your access ever restricted?

  • Do you share your phone with someone else? Are you the owner of your own mobile?

  • Do you have any smart home devices or cameras in the home?

  • What platforms do you use? Are these shared accounts? How do you log in to these sites?

  • Is anyone familiar with your passwords? Could someone easily guess your password?

  • Are your phone location services turned “on”?

  • If they have children, would the abuser have access to the children’s devices?

Essential Advice for Survivors:

  • Make a list of all accounts and determine how you access each account.

  • Consider changing passwords and security questions to prevent unauthorised access. Partners are uniquely positioned to access your accounts because they have intimate knowledge of the survivor.

  • Sign out of all accounts on any device. This can prevent unknown devices from being connected.

  • Remove any saved passwords in web browsers.

  • Check your social media privacy and security settings to ensure you know what is public.

  • Consider the range of online accounts you may have, including:

    • Food Services (i.e., Swiggy, Zomato)

    • E-Commerce (i.e., FlipKart, Meesho, BlinkIt)

    • Banking and Financial (i.e., UPI, Banking, Paytm, PhonePe)

    • Television (i.e. Netflix, JioHotstar)

    • Social Media (i.e., Instagram, Facebook, Telegram, WhatsApp, Snapchat)

Location Setting & GPS:

Many mobile devices have GPS built in. You can turn off some location sharing, but emergency services can access your location whenever your phone is on.

There are several methods that an individual can use to monitor your location:

  • Phones connected to your Apple or Google account have features designed to find lost phones. Anyone with access to your account can see your location.

  • Social media apps may be inadvertently sharing your location. Recommend the location and privacy settings in each app.

  • Camera and phone apps often store the location where a photo was taken.

  • Friends may share your location by mentioning your name and location. You can adjust privacy settings to prevent others from sharing your location.

Survivors should be aware of the potential for GPS Tracking. Encourage them to change the location and privacy settings on each social media site.  

Navigating Stalkerware

Stalkerware refers to tools – software programs, apps and devices – that let another person secretly monitor and record information about a person’s device activity. Stalkerware can be a tool used by an abuser to further track, monitor, stalk and harass survivors or victims. The use of stalkerware doesn’t require any particular technical skills, and the abuser doesn’t have to be a “skilled hacker” to use it to spy on a survivor’s activities; they can be easily bought and installed. Most stalkerware is installed on mobile phones, but there are also versions for desktops, laptops (including Macbooks) and tablets.

Survivors can detect stalkerware through “unusual behaviour” of a device (such as a rapidly draining battery, spikes in data usage, unexplained increases in weekly Screen Time reports and strange notifications). These may be a sign of stalkerware, but not all stalkerware has side effects. It is thus important for survivors to trust their instincts: the most common sign that someone’s activity is being monitored will be an abuser’s changes in behaviour. For example, the abuser may know too much about the survivor’s phone activities without another explanation.

It may help to keep a log of what they are experiencing. This can help survivors detect patterns and show the history of what has been happening if they choose to report to law enforcement.