Abusers Using Smartphones to Track Victims

Abusers Using Smartphones to Track Victims
Short Title Smartphones Can Be Used By Abusers to Track and Control Their Victims
Location United States
Date September 2014

Solove Harm Surveillance
Information Computer Device, Location, Identifying
Threat Actors Abusers

Individuals
Affected Domestic abuse victims
High Risk Groups Females, Crime Victims, Victim
Tangible Harms Anxiety, Changed Behavior

Using GPS and spyware abusers often track their victim's smartphones to eavesdrop on conversations and track the location of the victim.

Description

A domestic violence shelter run by a group called Next Door has had to change the intake process for victims to include a digital detox. The victims are advised to turn off their GPS, Wi-Fi, and stay away from Facebook.

The reason for their drastic change being that 85 percent of shelters have had abusers use GPS to track down the victims and 75 percent who's abusers would use hidden mobile apps to eavesdrop on their conversations, which is a clear example of Surveillance.

Laws and Regulations

Sources

https://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2014/09/15/346149979/smartphones-are-used-to-stalk-control-domestic-abuse-victims