Technology can be used by abusers, even after the victim has long separated from the
perpetrators. This is also known as technology-facilitated abuse (TFA) and it’s just as
harmful as physical violence between intimate partners. TFA encompasses a range of
behaviors and can only occur in online spaces such as Facebook, Instagram, or
other social networking platforms. There has been a growing trend in the use of digital
technology being used to control and abuse intimate partners. Some examples can
include repeated texting, multiple calls, tracking devices, as well as abuse over social
media apps (Rogers et al., 2022).
As the world evolves and adapts, social media has become easier than ever. This
creates new possibilities for abusers to continue disrupting someone’s life through
different methods such as covertly installing spyware on someone else’s phone.
Unfortunately for victims and survivors of domestic violence, there is still very little
evidence that examines TFA as it’s only been building since 2002 in Australia, USA, and
the UK. For example, a study published in Spain reported that 35.8% of female and
26.5% of male university students reported being a victim and a perpetrator of TFA at
the same time (Rogers et al., 2022).
Coercive control is something that every survivor and current victim of domestic
violence has experienced, and it’s shown to be far more damaging for victims
psychologically than physical violence. When linked to TFA, we tend to see somebody’s
entire life seemingly published on the internet for anyone to see. This means that
abusers and perpetrators can also see what’s being published online. These
technologies have enabled people to extend their breadth of connection and knowledge
about the world and once an abuser feels as if they possess another human being,
they’ll frequently use this information to gain more access to the victim even after
they’ve separated (Bailey et al., 2023).
Cyberstalking refers to the use of online and communication technologies to use
surveillance and further abuse. This can look like the use of threatening or obscene
messages, viruses, and spam to the victim; defame the victim online; and take
unauthorized control over the victim’s computer, webcam, or mobile phone device.
Cyberstalking can involve technology to continually harass and pursue victims and is
often committed by the perpetrator once the relationship has ended and it’s no less
dangerous than stalking. Like stalking in person, the perpetrator can potentially use
cyberstalking to punish his victim for leaving him (Bailey et al., 2023).
So, how can we keep our social media safe from the abuser? The first step should be to
personalize your privacy settings on all social media accounts you may have. This
includes Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat, LinkedIn, and any others
you may be using. Moving forward after the realization that you’re enduring the abuse;
you should consider pausing before posting. Ask yourself if you’re comfortable sharing
this information with the abuser. If not, the post should likely be discarded. Content that
contains personal information on your whereabouts could pose a serious safety risk and
screenshots of any original posts may be used against you in court or in social
situations. Always turn the geolocation off. Many social media sites or apps request us
to access our location but, in most cases, this isn’t necessary. If you’ve recently
separated from the abuser or cut off contact, change your passwords immediately. It’s
not infrequent that abusers have looked over our shoulders to see the unlock codes on
our phones, it’s best to keep them updated frequently. The last recommendation is to
vet your friends and followers on social media. If anybody on the lists has taken the
abuser’s side on the matters, justified the abuse, or you’re simply unsure of who runs
the account, it’s better to delete or block them.
Sources:
Bailey, L., Hulley, J., Gomersall, T., Kirkman, G., Gibbs, G. R., & Jones, A. (2023). The
networking of abuse: Intimate partner violence and the use of social
technologies. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 51(2).
https://doi.org/10.1177/00938548231206827
Rogers, M. M., Fisher, C., Ali, P., Allmark, P., & Fontes, L. (2022). Technology-Facilitated abuse
in intimate relationships: A scoping review. Trauma, Violence, & Abuse, 24(4),
- https://doi.org/10.1177/15248380221090218
by Mikayla S
