Computer and Technology Security Notice

Unless you have had COMPLETE CONTROL over your computer at ALL TIMES assume that you have no privacy.

There are many ways to monitor someone’s activity on a computer and you might not find out about it until it is too late.

Computer programs exist that might be installed on your computer that you cannot see or find on your computer that records every keystroke and then send an email to whoever installed that software with a record of what you’ve typed. There is still other software that allows someone to remotely enter your computer without your knowledge that allows them to see what you are doing.

In general it is virtually impossible to erase all history from Internet Browsers (such as Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE), Safari, Google Chrome or Firefox). Just because you think you’ve erased all your browsing history you probably have not.

Be very cautious. Never use a computer without complete confidence that your privacy is safe.

If you think your activities are being monitored, they probably are. Abusive people are often controlling and want to know your every move. You don’t need to be a computer programmer or have special skills to monitor someone’s computer and Internet activities – anyone can do it and there are many ways to monitor with programs like Spyware, keystroke loggers and hacking tools.

It is not possible to delete or clear all the “footprints" of your computer or online activities. If you are being monitored, it may be dangerous to change your computer behaviors such as suddenly deleting your entire Internet history if that is not your regular habit.

If you think you may be monitored on your home computer, be careful how you use your computer since an abuser might become suspicious. You may want to keep using the monitored computer for innocuous activities, like looking up the weather. Use a safer computer to research an escape plan, look for new jobs or apartments, bus tickets, or ask for help.

Email and Instant/Text Messaging (IM) are not safe or confidential ways to talk to someone about the danger or abuse in your life. If possible, please call a hotline instead. If you use email or IM, please use a safer computer and an account your abuser does not know about.

Computers can store a lot of private information about what you look at via the Internet, the emails and instant messages you send, internet-based phone and IP-TTY calls you make, web-based purchases and banking, and many other activities.

It might be safer to use a computer in a public library, at a trusted friend’s house, or an Internet Café.

If you are in danger, please:

Call 911

Call a national hotline:
U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or TTY at 1-800-787-3224

U.S. National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 automatically connect you to a local U.S. rape crisis program near your phone number's area code.

U.S. National Teen Dating Violence Helpline at 1-866-331-9474

Remember that “corded” phones are more private and that digital (which is what you undoubtedly have) cell phone calls can be more easily intercepted than cordless phones or analog cell phones.

Be aware you may not be able to reach 911 using an Internet phone or Internet-based phone service. So you may need to be prepared to use another phone to call 911.

Contact your local domestic violence program, shelter, or rape crisis center to learn about free cell phone donation programs.