Technology: Harassment, Abuse, and Intimidation

By: Savannah Tipton

We live in an age of technology where nearly every person over the age of 15 has a phone. Not only do we have phones, but we are on them constantly. We enjoy playing games, exploring social media, messaging friends and family, and so on. Many people relate to the daily behavior of checking their phone before going to bed at night and again when they wake up in the morning. Younger children also have access to utilize phones, iPads, tablets, etc. While technology can be a tool for learning and connections, it can also be abused. This constant connection to the outside world can create huge risks to someone’s safety and personal well-being.

Perpetrators of domestic violence and sexual assault often use technology to monitor someone’s online activity, harass, intimidate, threaten, or otherwise control a victim. Victim advocates are available to complete technology safety plans for survivors suffering from digital abuse or harassment. Digital abuse can be used to manipulate both domestic violence and sexual assault survivors.

Types of abuse perpetrated through technology:

• Catfishing: Done through accounts where someone is lying about their identity or posting as if they were someone else (often used to initiate a sexual or romantic relationship with the victim)
• Cyberbullying: Repeated harassment or intimidation online; this might include threats and can escalate quickly (especially for teens and young adults)
• Cyberstalking: Monitoring someone’s location through GPS, social media, hacking their accounts, or otherwise installing spyware or location devices
• Trolling: deliberately posting upsetting statements, comments, or photos to provoke a response
• ​Pressuring someone to send explicit images of themselves, emails, messages, videos, etc.
• Distributing or posting sexually explicit images of someone without their consent
• Taking sexually explicit pictures/videos/recordings without consent 
• Hacking into someone’s social media or email accounts
• Unsolicited sharing of pornographic or explicit images

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If you or someone you know is experiencing digital abuse, please contact our confidential crisis line. Advocates are a confidential source of support available to help survivors navigate these kind of situations and can connect you to community resources.

Confidential Crisis Line: 317-731-6140