Digital Harm Recovery Kit
Experiencing harm online can be very distressful. It might even make you feel helpless. You are not alone. There are things that can be done to stop the harm and help you recover from it. And we are here to guide you through it.
#1 Put Yourself First
Online abuse can be traumatising. One thing to keep in mind is that you are the top priority. It is not your fault that you have been attacked. No matter what action you decide to take, remember that your health and safety come first.
Ask yourself:
Firstly, do you feel physically safe? If not, do you need to contact the authorities or go to another place?
Do you have friends or family you can reach out to for support? Sharing what you are going through can be a big help.
Sometimes, a break from social media might just be what you need to process or relax your mind. If you are not sure about how to do this, try:
Turning off alerts and simply putting your phone away.
Deleting social media apps. You can always download them back later.
#2 Stop and Block
If someone is attacking you online, one way you can immediately stop the attack is to stop contact with them. They can’t hurt you if they can’t reach you.
Do not respond to what they say and do not reply to their messages even if they try different ways to contact you and send lots of messages to you or about you.
Stop replying to them even if they are making threats or blackmailing you. If they are making threats you might need to go to the police.
Block them on social media apps or messaging platforms.
Stop all social media posts for now while you work your way through this. You will be back later.
Note: If someone has taken over one of your accounts then you must get it suspended as quickly as possible by contacting the platform that runs the account or getting a friend to do so. Make sure you check all your other accounts and change your passwords on them to be safe.
#3 Record and Report
It might be difficult to look back at harmful messages or images, keeping a record helps you while taking action against the perpetrator. If it gets too much, remember to take a break before you continue.
Use your phone or your computer to take screenshots of all the harmful messages or posts you can find.
You can find help here on how to take screenshots with Android and iPhone.
Make sure you include the names of the accounts that attacked you in the screenshots. Make sure you get any web addresses you can.
Once you have gathered the evidence, you can report to the platforms. Each platform has their own reporting process, if you want to know more, check out our Stop Online Harm Digital Safety Reporting Kit for detailed step by step instruction.
#4 Talk About It
Talking helps, for when you need advice on what you can do with the situation and for when you need someone to help you work through your emotions.
If you need a safe space outside of your social circle or if you need help figuring out what to do, you can talk to us. Just say “hi” to us on telegram: t.me/stoponlineharm
If you have a therapist available, you might want to speak to them about the way your experience has affected you.
You might also want to share what has happened with your close friends or family.
#5 Take Legal Action
Online attacks are often illegal as well as harmful. You may be able to speak to the local authorities or legal organizations about it. The evidence you gathered can be really useful here. This is important if you have been the victim of a scam.
You might also want to consult a lawyer about other legal action.
You will get back on the path to putting the attack behind you. Then is a good time to go over digital safety tips again.
If you’re unsure where to start, you can reach out to us and we may be able to connect you to local support or legal organizations. Message us on telegram: t.me/stoponlineharm
