Tech abuse is a widespread problem seen by advocates and legal systems professionals across the US. This report shares findings from a needs assessment that included the participation of over 1,000 advocates and legal systems professionals. They told researchers that tech abuse increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Survivors and their communities also encountered additional barriers to safety, justice, and healing.

Key Findings:

The most common types of tech abuse - harassment, limiting access to technology, and surveillance - increased during the pandemic;

Phones, social media, and messaging were the technologies most commonly misused as a tactic of tech abuse;

Internet of Things (IoT) devices, next generation location trackers, and other emerging technologies are increasingly misused in tech abuse;

Survivors’ lack of access to technology, sometimes called the “Digital Divide,” is a barrier to accessing services, legal support, courts, and other services and social supports. (From the website). Record #7879