Internet Safety
If you think your activities are being monitored, they probably are.
There are hundreds of ways to record everything you do on the computer and what you access on the Internet. Spyware can be installed easily and is hard to detect. Every key stroke or web page viewed can then be recorded and seen by your abuser.
It is not possible to delete or clear all computer “footprints”. Besides, erasing or deleting files could also alert your abuser and possibly increase your danger.
Use a computer at a public library or a computer lab to access resources and information. Any indication of leaving your situation could put you in danger.
Use a web-based email service like Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail; don’t store emails on a computer your abuser has access to.
If you receive harassing emails, save them as evidence. If you are using a web-based email service, this is automatic. If your email is on your computer (e.g. Outlook), save the files to an external disk or thumb drive and then delete them completely from your computer, including the trash bin.
Do not let your computer save your passwords. Choose passwords that are not easy to guess and change passwords often.
