Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

Gender based violence does not begin with technology, but technology has become one of the easiest tools for it to grow. Misogyny, entitlement and harmful gendered beliefs shape how abusers use digital platforms, devices and online spaces to control, shame or silence women and people of marginalised genders. To tackle cyber abuse effectively, we cannot focus only on the technology. We also need to challenge the attitudes and norms that fuel the harm.

Online abuse is now a major part of gender based violence. Many survivors experience harassment, stalking, threats or image based abuse through social media, messaging apps and other digital platforms. The UK’s Online Safety Act 2023 has created new rules for platforms, but real change only happens when survivor services, tech companies and the public all play their part.

For many survivors of gender based violence, abuse continues long after physical contact ends. It can follow them into their devices, accounts and online spaces, creating a sense of being watched, monitored or controlled. These digital harms are often confusing and hard to identify, and survivors are frequently told to simply “change their passwords” or “turn off social media.”

Technology is part of everyday life, offering connection and convenience. For many women and girls experiencing gender based violence in the UK, that same technology is increasingly used as a tool of control, surveillance and harm. Understanding how this abuse works is essential for safeguarding and accountability.

This week marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, a global campaign from 25th November to 10th December that calls for action to end all forms of violence against women and girls. For us, as a charity supporting people harmed through technology, this period is an important reminder that digital abuse is now one of the most common and damaging ways gender based violence is carried out.

Social media is so deeply intertwined into our lives that as our online presence grows, so does the opportunity for cybercriminals to exploit it. Our data shows just how widespread social media hacking is and who hackers typically target.

Romance fraud is one of the most sophisticated cybercrimes affecting people online. Every year, thousands of people are exploited through their desire for human connection.

Recruitment scams—also known as job fraud—are a rising form of cybercrime that targets jobseekers with fake employment opportunities designed to steal personal information or money. Scammers often impersonate legitimate employers or recruitment agents, tricking victims into sharing sensitive data, paying unnecessary fees, or completing unpaid tasks under the pretense of a real hiring process.

The BBC recently reported on Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips' acknowledgement that the DASH (Domestic Abuse, Stalking, Harassment and Honour-Based Violence) risk assessment tool “doesn’t work” in reliably identifying high-risk cases. Since 2009, the DASH has been the most widely used screening tool across police, healthcare, social workers and victims services.

Few things are as alarming as discovering that one of your accounts has been hacked. Unfortunately, the reality is that recovering a hacked account is often very difficult – sometimes impossible. Here’s why getting your account back can be unlikely, what risks are involved, and how you can protect yourself from attacks.