A new research-led digital handbook for victims of domestic tech abuse has been launched by Surrey Domestic Abuse Partnership (SDAP) and Royal Holloway.
The SDAP released the handbook during the UN’s 16 Days of Activism campaign to help people experiencing digital abuse understand what’s happening and how to get support. This year’s campaign theme is ‘End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls.’
Technology can be a lifeline, but for many experiencing domestic abuse, it can also become a tool of control. Some forms of tech abuse are obvious, while others hide in settings and invisible connections.
The handbook is designed to help victims and survivors protect themselves online and regain a sense of safety. It doesn’t aim to cover everything, but it offers practical steps that can make a meaningful impact.
It will help people take back control, by focussing on simple steps that can make a real difference.
The different types of abuse covered are:
- Financial abuse
- Location tracking
- Intimate images/videos
- Smart Homes tech
- Messaging apps and social media
According to Refuge, the largest specialist provider of gender-based violence services in the UK, more than a quarter of women aged between 16 and 74 in England and Wales experience domestic abuse at some point in their lives and, of the women and children it supported in 2020–21, 59 percent experienced abuse involving technology. These figures are climbing, year on year.
Dr Maryam Mehrnezhad, co-author from the Department of Information Security at Royal Holloway, said: “This digital handbook represents the essential translation of complex security research into actionable cyber safety for those who need it most.
“By collaborating directly with SDAP, we are moving beyond abstract policy, offering survivors practical, user-centric steps to reclaim their digital lives and privacy from technological abuse.”
Dr Christian Weinert, co-author, also from the Department of Information Security at Royal Holloway, added: "Everything in this handbook is informed by real-world case studies shared by support workers from our charity partners.
“We were shocked by the scale and cruelty of domestic tech abuse happening right here in Surrey. With this handbook, we hope to give support workers and survivors the information they need to entirely prevent or at least mitigate the impact of tech abuse."
Sarah McLeod, CEO of the North Surrey Domestic Abuse Service, said: “We’re thrilled to launch the Tech Abuse Handbook.
“This resource is designed to help victims and survivors understand, identify, and respond to tech abuse in a clear and supportive way.
“It reflects our commitment to supporting anyone affected by domestic abuse in every aspect of their lives. Tech abuse is a fast-evolving and increasingly common form of harm, and it is vital that we all work to better understand it.”
The project was funded by Royal Holloway’s Social Science Impact Accelerator.
The free digital handbook is available for use on mobile devices and desktop.
