Staying safe online
Technology can provide essential support. But there are also risks and it can be used to control or threaten domestic abuse victims. Get our top tips to help you stay safe online.
Key findings
- Both women and practitioners saw technology as a risk and felt they did not fully understand how to use technology effectively and safely.
- Technology was a barrier for some and an enabler for others to getting the support, information and advice they wanted. Accessibility, background and circumstances were crucial to how women were able to use technology solutions.
- 47% of women reported that connecting with services and support groups was a positive experience with technology and could help counteract feelings of isolation.
- Almost 1 in 5 women had already used technology to capture evidence about their abuse, whether this was through using a phone as a recording device or through forwarding incriminating emails.
- Practitioners were confident in using technology in their work but appeared less confident in how to support survivors. They wanted to further understand which tools women were using to access support and the safeguarding implications.
