English
EspañolHow can an abuser misuse electronic surveillance?
As part of domestic violence or stalking, an abuser may use electronic surveillance to “keep tabs” on you by monitoring your whereabouts and conversations. There are several reasons an abuser may use electronic surveillance, such as:
- to keep power and control over you;
- to take away your privacy;
- to make it hard for you to have a life separate from the abuser; and
- to try to discover or stop any plans you may be making to leave the relationship.
An abuser may also misuse family phone features. For instance, s/he may misuse apps meant for parents to see children’s phone use in order to monitor your phone usage. If you have a child, the abuser may misuse these apps on the child’s phone as a way to monitor your location or conversations with the child. Or if you are on a family phone plan with the abuser, s/he could misuse it to monitor your phone activities. In some cases, you may wish to leave a family plan to lessen the abuser’s access to your cellular information. The Safe Connections Act of 2022 makes this easier for survivors. It can help avoid termination fees. You can learn more about the Safe Connections Act on TechSafety.org, the website of NNEDV’s Safety Net Project.
