Understanding domestic abuse

16 Days of Activism: UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls

Posted by Jenni James on 21 November 2025

In our increasingly digital world, ensuring that women and girls are safe online is an essential part of preventing and responding to gender-based violence. Our access to tech has brought benefits, like online chat support for victims and survivors, but it can also be used as a tool by perpetrators, enabling them to increase levels of control and cause further harm. 

What is tech abuse?

Technology-facilitated abuse covers any action that involves using technology to harass, control, intimidate or harm another person. It could include cyber-stalking, tracking someone’s location, or sending threatening messages via social media. 

Even though it might ‘just be online’ or through a screen, the impacts of tech abuse can be just as significant as any other form of abuse, causing real harm to victims and survivors. Tech abuse is often accompanied by, or escalates to, other forms of abuse like physical violence, financial abuse or coercive control, so it’s vital that we take action to prevent it from happening and ensure accountability for perpetrators. 

All forms of abuse constitute a criminal offence in the UK, and every woman and girl deserves to be kept safe from harm, whether online or in person.

What are the signs of tech abuse?

Most of us will spend lots of our time in online spaces: messaging or calling our partners and friends, sharing our locations with one another and  posting photos of what we’ve been up to – these are everyday activities that can be helpful and fun! 

But, if someone’s behaviour is causing you to worry, you have the right to find help and be kept safe. 

Here are some signs of technology-facilitated abuse:

• Your partner or ex-partner constantly messages or calls you, asking to know where you are and what you’re doing, or making demands or threats. In some cases, the content of the messages might seem loving or supportive, but the quantity or frequency is overwhelming – this could be ‘love-bombing’, which is part of the cycle of abuse. 
• Your partner or ex-partner insists that you share your location with them, and gets cross when you aren’t where they say you should be, or shows up wherever you are. 
• Your partner or ex-partner limits your access to social media, the internet, or controls who you communicate with and when
• Your partner or ex-partner insists on reading all of your messages with friends and family, not allowing you to keep anything private
• Your partner or ex-partner partner posts hurtful or untrue comments about you online, shares real or edited photos of you without your permission, or threatens to do so. 
• Your partner or ex-partner partner controls or limits your access to online banking or benefits, or takes out loans in your name. 
• Your partner or ex-partner partner uses smart devices – like smart speakers, cameras or central heating control systems – to monitor, control or scare you. 

If you are experiencing any of these things, or if someone’s behaviour is making you feel worried or scared in any other way, you have a right to ask for help. No one should have to tolerate abuse or feel like they need to suffer in silence. Even if you’re not sure that what’s happening is abuse, you can ask for help. 

You can contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247, or use their online chat function. If you’re ever in immediate danger, you should call 999. 

How can we respond to tech abuse?

All of us have a responsibility to make sure those around us – whether in person or in online spaces – feel safe. This can be difficult when abuse is hidden behind closed doors or in direct messages, but there are steps we can take. 

Firstly, we can help to raise awareness of tech abuse and the support that is available for victims and survivors. Doing so also demonstrates to perpetrators that their behaviour isn’t okay and won’t be tolerated. You could start by sharing this blog to your own social media pages! 

If you’re part of a church, you could display signposting information on your notice board or these posters on the back of toilet doors. If you use social media groups or host any online forums, make sure you have clear Community Guidelines that set out what behaviour is acceptable. Take a look at our Church Guide for more guidance on responding to domestic abuse. 

As we talk openly about domestic abuse in all its forms, we create spaces that give victims and survivors more confidence to speak up and ask for help. Actions that seem small can have a huge impact – this 16 Days of Activism, why not join us as we UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls?