Technology is an integral part of our lives and while we know it can provide abusive people with tools and opportunities to control, track and abuse, it can also be an important source of support and safety information for victims of abuse.
In the past, safety planning around tech focussed on victims of abuse reducing their use of tech, deleting their social media accounts and getting rid of their smartphone. This is not only unrealistic, it punishes the victim of abuse and cuts them off from their social and support networks, leaving them isolated. Instead, we recommend talking to your clients about using tech safely and taking some simple steps to address potential vulnerabilities. Here are our top tips:
