Domestic Abuse in the Digital World: The Rise of Tech-Facilitated Domestic Abuse

When we think of domestic abuse, many people picture physical violence behind closed doors. But in today’s world, abuse doesn’t always leave bruises — it can arrive as a text message, a GPS tracker, or a hacked smart-home device. This is what we call technology-facilitated domestic abuse (TFDA).

TFDA happens when abusers misuse digital tools — phones, apps, social media, even smart speakers and doorbells — to stalk, harass, impersonate, and control their partners. It’s a growing issue across the UK, and one that survivors and services are only just beginning to fully recognise.

The Numbers Behind the Abuse

In the year ending March 2024, an estimated 2.3 million adults in England and Wales experienced domestic abuse (ONS, 2024). Increasingly, technology plays a role in that harm:

- Over 55% of survivors surveyed by Women’s Aid said they had experienced tech abuse. - Almost three in ten reported that the abuse started or escalated during the COVID-19 pandemic.

- Refuge’s Tech Safety team saw a 258% increase in tech-abuse referrals between 2020 and 2022.

Regional Realities: London, Bedfordshire and Beyond

Location matters.

- London: Lowest recorded DA-related crime rate in England and Wales (10.7 per 1,000).

But Londoners are less likely to recognise or report TFDA.

- Bedfordshire: DA-related crime rate is 11 per 1,000. Domestic abuse makes up 34% of all violence against the person offences.

- England & Wales overall: Police recorded 851,062 DA-related crimes in 2024 — 15.8% of all police-recorded crime.

The Experience of Black Communities

Statistics also show that ethnicity can shape experiences of abuse.

- 6.2% of Black Caribbean respondents reported domestic abuse in the past year (above the national average of 4.4%).

- 2.8% of Black African respondents reported abuse.

When it comes to online abuse, Black women are particularly vulnerable.

Amnesty and Glitch found that Black women are 84% more likely to experience online abuse than white women.

Protecting Yourself Online

While the responsibility should never fall on survivors alone, there are steps that can help improve digital safety:

✔ Check device and app permissions regularly.

✔ Change passwords often and use two-factor authentication.

✔ Turn off location sharing unless absolutely necessary.

✔ Adjust social media privacy settings.

✔ Keep evidence — screenshots and logs can support legal action.

✔ Seek help: Refuge’s Tech Safety team and the National DA Helpline (0808 2000 247).

Why This Matters

Tech-facilitated domestic abuse strips away privacy, safety, and autonomy. Survivors describe the constant intrusion of being watched, tracked, or impersonated as just as damaging as physical violence.

At Serene Futures, we believe that raising awareness of TFDA is essential — for survivors, practitioners, and policymakers alike. Because no one should have to feel unsafe in their own digital world.

SOURCES

Office for National Statistics (2024) Domestic abuse prevalence and trends, England and Wales: year ending March 2024. Available at: https://www.ons.gov.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Women’s Aid (2020) A Perfect Storm: Technology, domestic abuse and COVID-19. Women’s Aid Federation of England. Available at: https://www.womensaid.org.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Refuge (2022) Annual Impact Report 2022. Refuge. Available at: https://refuge.org.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Refuge (2025) Survey on recognition and reporting of domestic abuse in London. Refuge. Available at: https://refuge.org.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Amnesty International and Glitch (2020) Toxic Twitter: Black women and online abuse. Amnesty International UK and Glitch. Available at: https://www.glitchcharity.co.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).

Bedfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner (2024) Annual crime data summary 2024. Bedfordshire PCC. Available at: https://www.bed

fordshire.pcc.police.uk (Accessed: 21 September 2025).