Abuse Using Technology

In civil court, you might be able to sue for money damages for things like:

• lost wages;
• loss of your job;
• emotional pain and suffering;
• damage to your reputation; and
• punitive damages, which is intended to punish the defendant. 

If your damages are below a certain amount, you can file on your own in small claims court. See our Suing an Abuser for Money page for more information.

Another way to use the civil court is to file for a civil restraining order. The judge can order the abuser to stop doing certain things, like sending nude images of you to others or publishing your personal information online. The order may also force him/her to do certain actions, such as taking down images or social media posts that put you in danger.  Go to our Restraining Orders page to learn more.

There also may be other important civil legal options to consider in tech abuse cases. This is especially true if there was sharing of sexual images of you without your consent.  One possible option, for example, deals with getting the copyright of images of you.  Generally, copyright law may protect certain photos or videos as an “original work.” The person who takes a photo or video is generally the copyright “owner.”  The owner can decide if, how, and when those images are distributed, published online, etc. In a civil lawsuit, you may be able to get copyright ownership of the images. This would give you the legal power to decide where the pictures are published so you could then demand that they be removed from the Internet or other publications.  For advice on whether or not this may be an option for you, please consult with a lawyer who knows about copyright law and tech misuse.  See our National Organizations - Posting Nude/Sexual Images Without Consent/“Revenge Porn” section for legal referrals.