Abusers Using AI and Digital Tech to Attack and Control Women, Charity Warns

Why It Matters

The trend signals a new frontier of coercive control that amplifies risk for women and strains legal and protective services, demanding urgent policy and industry action.

Key Takeaways

• 62% rise in complex tech‑facilitated abuse cases, 829 women
• Under‑30 referrals up 24% in late 2025
• Abusers weaponise smartwatches, rings, and smart‑home devices
• AI deep‑fakes manipulate custody claims and legal documents
• Industry urged to embed safety in design, enforce regulations

Pulse Analysis

The rapid diffusion of connected devices has opened a hidden avenue for intimate‑partner violence, a reality that UK charity Refuge now quantifies with stark numbers. In the final quarter of 2025 the organisation recorded 829 women subjected to what it classifies as ‘complex’ technology‑enabled abuse—a 62 percent jump from the previous period—and a 24 percent surge in cases involving victims under thirty. These figures mirror global concerns that the Internet of Things and wearable health trackers are being repurposed as surveillance tools, turning everyday gadgets into instruments of control.

Abusers are leveraging smartwatches, Oura rings and Fitbits to monitor location, while smart‑home hubs manipulate lighting and heating to create psychological pressure. More insidious is the use of AI‑generated deep‑fakes and spoofing apps that fabricate intoxicated videos or counterfeit legal documents, enabling perpetrators to undermine custody battles and financial stability. Law enforcement often lacks the technical expertise to classify such conduct as criminal, leaving survivors to shoulder the burden of proof and safety management. The covert nature of digital coercion therefore amplifies the trauma of traditional abuse.

Addressing this emerging threat requires coordinated action across government, industry and civil society. Refuge calls for mandatory safety‑by‑design standards in wearable and IoT products, tighter oversight from regulators such as Ofcom, and expanded funding for specialized digital investigation units. The UK’s new Violence Against Women and Girls strategy signals political will, yet experts warn that existing legislation, including the Online Safety Act, falls short of curbing sophisticated tech abuse. Proactive regulation, transparent reporting mechanisms, and public‑private partnerships will be essential to protect vulnerable users as technology continues to evolve.