If you are in a situation where you think your device is being monitored or controlled by someone else, you can find some safety tips here https://www.sexualviolence.ie/safety-message.

Click here to exit this page and be redirected to the UCC homepage. 

There are many steps you can take to protect yourself and help you leave a relationship safety, if that is what you want. The information below is taken from safeireland.ie and corksexualviolencecentre.ie  

Online

If you feel your internet activities are being monitored, then they probably are. 

Here are some of the ways you can use your computer or phone safely. 

• Don’t change your computer activities suddenly 

• Continue to use the monitored computer, or phone, for harmless tasks, like checking the weather 

• Use a safer computer to research an escape plan or ask for help 

• Safer computers can be found in libraries, internet cafes or at a trusted friend’s house 

• Email, text and instant messenger accounts can be easily monitored, so use different accounts that the abuser isn’t aware of 

Navigating violence, abuse, and stalking can be very difficult and dangerous. Contact your local domestic abuse service who will be able to tell you about options and help you create a plan to stay safe. 

Computers and phones store lots of information about how they are used. You don’t need to have special skills to monitor them. Anyone can do it, using tools like spyware, keystroke loggers and basic hacking techniques. 

It is not possible to delete all the “footprints” of your online activities. Even if you delete your entire browsing history, there are other ways to see what you were looking at. 

Email, text and instant messaging apps are not safe ways to talk to someone about the danger you are in. If you use them please use a safe computer and an account your abuser does not know about. If possible, please call a helpline instead. 

If you are being monitored, it may be dangerous to change your computer behaviour suddenly. For example, abruptly deleting your browsing history may cause further suspicion if that isn’t something you don’t do regularly. 

Instead, continue to use the computer or phone that is being monitored for harmless activities, like looking up the weather. While using a safer computer to research an escape plan, look for new jobs or apartments, bus tickets or ask for help. 

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

Social Media Safety

Everyone is entitled to use social media and you should feel safe online. You may want to adjust your privacy settings if you are dealing with online abuse. It's possible to block people from your pages, or hide certain information from friends. You can also 'mute' conversations if you are experiencing harassment this way.    

Privacy settings can normally be found in Settings. For details on each social media platform, follow the links below: 

Facebook 

Privacy settings - click here. 

Twitter 

Privacy settings - click here. 

Instagram 

Privacy settings - click here.

If someone on social media posts your intimate pictures or videos, you can report them and have them removed. It is wise to take screenshots first if you choose to report the incident to the Gardaí.   

Facebook 

How to report - click here. 

Twitter 

How to report - click here.  

Instagram 

How to report - click here. 

Reddit 

Send the URL of the comments page to contact@reddit.com with the subject “Involuntary Pornography Report”.

Phones

Always remember to delete text messages you have sent or received – unless they are messages sent by an abuser. 

If you receive threatening or harassing text messages, do not reply to them and keep them as they are evidence. The Gardaí can have these messages downloaded and printed.  

To keep a record of these texts or messages, you can screenshot them and save them as photos. For information on how to screenshot on different phones, see below. 

iPhone 

How to screenshot - click here.  

Samsung 

How to screenshot - click here.  

Huawei 

How to screenshot - click here. 

If your phone stores delivery reports for text messages that you send, make sure to delete these also. 

When making calls please note that traditional landline phones are more private than mobile phones. However it may not be appropriate to use a landline if the abuser has access to itemised bills. 

Always remember to check the call register on your phone and delete any numbers that could raise suspicions. 

Safety Planning

It is helpful to have a safety plan in place, even if things are going smoothly at the moment. Also, bring your safety plan with you in case you need to leave in a hurry. This information is taken from safeireland.ie  

Step one 

Be prepared and think about: 

• Where you can go to make a safe telephone call 

• A safe place where you can stay in an emergency – This may be with a friend or relative, a women’s refuge, a hotel or bed and breakfast 

• The telephone number of the safe place 

• How to get to the safe place 

• Decide how you will get there at different times of the day and night 

• The number of a local taxi firm 

• What to tell the children and how to talk to them about it when you need to put the safety plan into action 

Step two 

Write down these important details, including: 

• Your PRSI/PPS or claim number 

• Your family’s essential medicines 

• Your child benefit book number 

• Important phone numbers 

Other useful phone numbers to have: 

• Taxi 

• Health Centre 

• Doctor 

• Social welfare office 

• Garda station 

• Housing department 

• Law centre/solicitor 

• Women’s refuge/support service 

• District court 

• Rape Crisis Centre 

Step three 

Collect together the following items and hide them somewhere you can get to them in a hurry. It may be a good idea to put them in a bag and store it with a friend: 

• Enough money to get to a safe place by bus or taxi 

• An extra set of keys for your home 

• An extra set of keys for your car 

• Extra clothes for you and your children 

Step four 

Think about where you can find the following items in a hurry: 

• School uniforms and some of your children’s things 

• Essential medicines 

• Have a bag ready 

The social welfare require personal identification and evidence to assess your entitlement. So, also pack: 

• Court order documents 

• Claim’s book 

• Marriage certificate 

• Bank details 

• RSI / PPS card 

• Medical card 

• Birth certificates 

• Pay slips 

Step five 

If you can, discuss your safety plan with a trusted friend so they can support you if you need to put it into action. Keep your safety plan in a safe place. Ideally, somewhere you can get it quickly if you need to leave in a hurry.