Is Tech Abuse Happening to You?
A Note on Language
In this toolkit, we will sometimes use the word woman/women and feminine pronouns for simplicity and to recognize the significant impact technology-facilitated violence has on women and girls. We recognize that TFGBV also impacts trans, non-binary, and Two-Spirit people. We hope that all people impacted by TFGBV will find these documents useful.
It Can Be Tech Abuse If Someone:
- Controls your phone
- Takes your phone away from you
- Breaks your phone
- Makes you share your phone
- Controls your online accounts
- Stops you from using your online accounts
- Uses your online accounts when you don’t want them to
- Shares pictures of you that you don’t want people to see
- Tells you they will share pictures of you that you don’t want people to see unless you do what they want
It Can Be Tech Abuse If Someone Watches What You Do Using:
- Your phone
- Hidden cameras
- Apps
It Can Be Tech Abuse If Someone Uses a Computer, Phone, or Tablet to:
- Repeatedly contact you (if unwanted)
- Say things that hurt you
- Punish you
- Say they will hurt you or a member of your family
It Can Be Tech Abuse If Someone Uses Apps or Social Media to:
- Say things that make you feel bad
- Say things that make you or your family look bad
- Make threats about things they will do to you or our family
It Can Be Tech Abuse If Someone Uses Tech to:
- Find out where you are when you don’t want them to
- Find out what you are doing when you don’t want them to
- Follow you
Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) is part of a continuum of violence that can be both online and in-person. If you or someone you know is experiencing TFGBV, you are not alone. You can use sheltersafe.ca to find a shelter/transition house near you to discuss options and create a safety plan. You don’t need to stay in a shelter to access free, confidential services and support.
Adapted for Canada with permission from WESNET’s Technology Safety project, based on their resource Is Tech Abuse Happening to You.