Experts Warn Of Growing Digital Domestic Abuse
MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Experts are warning of a growing form of domestic violence they call "digital abuse" when one partner uses technology to control and intimidate their significant other.
It's such a new problem, you could even be in a digitally abusive relationship and not realize it.
Brittny who is a digital abuse victim said her ex-boyfriend's electronic communication was relentless with constant calls and threats over texts.
"I was always fearful of not answering my phone when he called and not responding to his text messages," said Brittny.
After months of high-tech harassment, Brittny said she realized she was a victim of "digital domestic abuse," a new problem psychiatrist Gail Saltz said is growing.
"Now, sadly people are using digital technology to exert their power, their influence, control 24/7," said Saltz.
Digital abuse is just starting to be recognized by experts and goes beyond constant phone calls and text messages.
At the National Domestic Violence hotline, many callers report their partner's smartphone and social media surveillance is increasing.
"Things that range from constantly checking to what they're posting on social media, asking for passwords, to more extreme cases as where partners create fake identities on Facebook to see if they can get their partner to engage with someone else, and then accusing them of cheating and flirting inappropriately," said Katie Ray-Jones of the National Domestic Violence Hotline.
The popularity of being constantly connected can make recognizing a problem difficult.
"Isn't this what everybody does? You know, everybody is on social networking, everybody is texting, isn't that just normal behavior," asked Saltz.
The president of the National Domestic Violence hotline said that normal behavior can turn to obsession. It's important to recognize warning signs.
"Extreme jealousy, monitoring, isolation," said Ray-Jones
Cyber Crime specialist Art Bowker warns digital abusers can escalate their surveillance by using apps which monitor their partner's location through their phone's GPS or installing key logging software that records what they type on a computer.
"No one needs to be a computer genius to install this software. This software is very, very easy to install," said Bowker.
Doctor Saltz said digital abuse can turn dangerous.
"People of all ages are vulnerable to the use of digital technology to basically be abusive and that abuse that starts in that way, can often lead to, directly to physical abuse," said Saltz.
Brittny said when her ex-boyfriend's digital abuse became physical, she ended the relationship.
Now she warns others who think their digital boundaries may be violated to reach out for help right away.
"When I was going through this, I felt like I was completely alone. I didn't tell anybody about what was happening," said Brittny.
The head of the National Domestic Violence hotline said it's difficult to estimate exactly how many people digital abuse affects, because some victims don't even recognize it.
Experts said in some cases it's a relationship red flag that can be fixed if you work through it, but in others it can rise to the level of stalking or harassment.
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