Guide:Resisting technological domestic abuse
Purpose of this guide is to help victims of technological domestic abuse resist surveillance and recover from privacy or security compromise by the perpetrators of abuse, whether romantic, familial or otherwise.
Technologically savvy perpetrators have more options than ever before to keep tabs on their victims, take away control or agency and continue abuse from afar. We will try to give you the tools and knowledge to resist technological aspects of the abuse, and once you're able to leave the abusive situation, recover from the privacy compromise.
 | Do NOT follow the advice below if any of it will place you at risk of further harm should you be discovered. We are not domestic abuse experts and cannot make judgement calls regarding advisability of resisting the perpetrator given the prospect of further abuse. If you need further non-technical support, please reach out to one of the resources listed on this page. |
Core assumptions
In this guide we are assuming following:
- The perpetrator is somebody who has physical access to you and to the devices (and potentially accounts) you use.
- The perpetrator also controls your internet access, either by controlling the router or controlling the ISP account.
- The perpetrator is generally more technologically savvy than you.
- The perpetrator is willing to deploy technological measures that are generally unacceptable, such as tracking your location.
But first
If you share the device you're reading this on with the perpetrator, DO NOT allow them to use your browser history to find out about your attempts to resist.
First, do the following:
- Open this page in Private Mode/Incognito Mode.
- Go into browser's options, and delete the browsing history for approximately last hour.
This will prevent them from finding this guide in your history and being aware of the advice you're following.