Coercive Control Has Gone Digital: Do You Know the Signs?

Technology has transformed the way we connect, communicate, and navigate everyday life. Our phones, apps, and online accounts can make things faster and easier — but they can also be misused as tools of coercive control.

Technology-Facilitated Abuse is not always easy to recognise. It can happen gradually and may be disguised as concern, care, or wanting to “stay connected”. However, when technology is used to monitor, intimidate, restrict, or control someone, it is abuse.

Some signs of Technology-Facilitated Abuse can include:

📱 Demanding access to your phone, accounts, or passwords.
📍 Tracking your location without your knowledge or consent.
💬 Reading your private messages or monitoring your social media activity.
📞 Repeatedly calling or messaging to check where you are or who you are with.
📷 Using cameras, smart devices, or apps to watch, record, or monitor you.
🚫 Controlling who you can contact or communicate with online.
⚠️ Threatening to share private photos, messages, or personal information.

These behaviours are not about love, trust, or protection. They are about power, control, and creating fear.

Everyone has the right to privacy, independence, and safety — both online and offline. Recognising the signs of Technology-Facilitated Abuse is an important first step towards understanding what is happening and accessing support.

If you or someone you know is experiencing Technology-Facilitated Abuse, Donegal Women’s Centre provides confidential, trauma-informed support to women across County Donegal.

Find out more at www.donegalwomenscentre.ie.

Coercive control has gone digital. Know the signs. Know where to get support.

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