As technology has evolved, it has also led to new possibilities. While the positive elements of technology far outweigh the negative aspects, there are still those who use such advancements to control and bully unwitting victims. In the modern era, we have moved from just physical abuse to mental and psychological harassment. This article will discuss some of the ways that technology has been used to perpetrate domestic violence.
Using Technology to Promote Domestic Violence
Some of the ways that technology has been used to promote domestic violence are through financial harassment, abuse of smart home devices, stalking and surveillance and monitoring of digital activity.
1. Financial Harassment
When couples in a relationship open a joint bank account, they both have access to it. But if the relationship sours, one of them can harass the other by changing the passwords, thereby blocking access for the victim.
2. Abuse of Smart Home Devices
If as a partner you have access to smart home devices that for example control the security system of your home, your spouse can victimize you by changing the security codes and then telling you that you forgot them. He or she can even gaslight you, insisting that you are getting forgetful and have lost touch with reality.
3. Stalking
Stalking is another method that people use to control and trouble their victims. In one example, the spouse had accompanied the victim to buy a car. Since he knew the car license plate and registration number, he tracked the car using geolocation and turned the cooling system on and off remotely to perplex and harass the victim.
4. Surveillance and Monitoring of Digital Activity
Using technology like spyware on a mobile phone or other device to obtain passwords covertly is one way of getting access to a person. Passwords may also be guessed, or a former partner may be bullied or coerced into divulging them. These devices can even be paired with their own so that the victims do not have unregulated or independent access.
5. Manipulating Personal Relationships and Reputation
Perpetrators may harm their partner’s reputation by sending defamatory messages about them on social media under an alias. They may even stoop so low as to release intimate images of their partner or discuss private conversations about others that were said in confidence. In this way they can ruin their partner’s reputation.
6. Using Immigrant Status and Low Literacy Levels
Some perpetrators even try to harass their victims by using their fear of being deported in case they have not been granted nationality, or unfamiliarity of the English language and laws to get undue advantages or cooperation from the victims that is really against their free consent.
Conclusion
There are many ways to use technology to harass and torment victims of domestic violence in the digital era. We have discussed some of them. If you have been accused of domestic violence or harassment, do not hesitate to contact Houston domestic violence defense lawyer David A. Breston, with over 20 years of experience. He will help you defend you and make sure you receive the justice you deserve.