The use of everyday technology such as doorbell cameras, mobile phones, and smart glasses to harass and control women has surged dramatically in recent years, according to new research. Between 2018 and 2024, violent offenses against women and girls involving a technological element increased by more than 200 percent, with over 123,000 such incidents recorded nationally between August 2022 and July 2023 alone. Reports of these crimes continued to rise, with a 62 percent increase reported from 2024 to 2025.
The data, compiled by the National Police Chiefs’ Council in collaboration with the charity Refuge, highlights how abusers are increasingly using digital devices to perpetrate stalking, online harassment, revenge porn, and AI-generated deepfakes. Research from University College London further supports these findings, revealing that nearly half of cases involving technology-enabled abuse submitted to Refuge involve monitoring or controlling behaviors.
This escalating trend was a central topic at a recent conference organized by University College London, where London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan announced a £6 million fund aimed at combating what he described as a "global emergency." Khan emphasized the growing danger technology poses in enabling abusive behavior, stating that it allows perpetrators to intimidate and surveil victims remotely using ordinary household devices. The fund is intended to enhance support services for victims of tech-facilitated violence.
Conference organizer Dr. Leonie Tanczer underscored that technology-enabled abuse has moved beyond being a niche issue, describing it as a pervasive element of coercive control that victims face daily. She pointed out that survivors often contend with risks stemming from technological systems and infrastructures they neither created nor control, a dynamic she called unacceptable and in need of urgent change.
Additional research indicates that about one-third of callers to the National Domestic Abuse Helpline have reported that their abusers employed technology to escalate the abuse. The findings spotlight the complexities of addressing and preventing abuse that intersects with rapidly evolving digital technologies, raising challenges for law enforcement and support organizations alike.
As technology continues to evolve, experts warn that efforts to combat tech-enabled abuse require dedicated resources and innovative approaches to protect vulnerable individuals and hold perpetrators accountable in a digital age.