Internet Safety

To be safe, erase any record that you have visited the Women & Children’s Shelter web site. If anyone has access to your computer, they will be able to see which web sites you have visited unless you erase your tracks.

iPhone & iPad

Safari

1. Open iPhone or iPad Settings
2. Scroll down and tap Safari
3. Scroll down and tap Clear History and Website Data
4. Tap Clear History and Data

Google Chrome

1. Tap the 3 vertical dots in the bottom-right corner
2. In the drop-down menu, tap History
3. Tap Clear browsing data
4. Tap the options you’d like to clear. Recommendation would be to select all data
5. Tap the Clear browsing data button.

Android

Google Chrome

1. Tap the 3 vertical dots in the top right corner
2. In the drop-down menu, tap History
3. Tap Clear browsing data
4. Select the Time Range you’d like to clear
5. Tap the box next to each type of data you’d like to clear. Recommendation would be to select all data
6. To clear more data, click the Advanced tab and tap the additional boxes of data you’d like to clear
7. Tap Clear Data to erase the selected data

Samsung Internet

1. Tap the Hamburger menu in the bottom right corner
2. Tap Settings in the popup menu
3. Scroll down and tap Privacy and Security
4. Scroll down to Personal Data and tap Delete browsing data
5. Tap the box next to each type of data you’d like to clear. Recommendation would be to select all data
6. Tap Delete to erase the selected data.

Computer

Google Chrome

1. Click the 3 vertical dots in the top right corner
2. Put your cursor over History
3. Click History in the slide out menu
4. On the left side, click Clear Browsing Data
5. Keyboard shortcut to get here is Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows
6. Select the Time Range you’d like to clear
7. Check the box next to each type of data you’d like to clear. Recommendation would be to select all data
8. To clear more data, click the Advanced tab and select the additional boxes of data you’d like to clear
9. Click Clear Data to erase the selected data
10. Close your browser

Safari

1. In the top left of the screen, beside the Apple icon, click Safari
2. Click Clear History in the menu
3. Select the Time Range you’d like to clear
4. Click “Clear History.” to erase the data
5. Close your browser

Microsoft Edge

1. Click the 3 horizontal dots in the top right corner
2. Put your cursor over History and click Clear Browsing Data
3. Keyboard shortcut to get here is Ctrl + Shift + Delete
4. Select the Time Range you’d like to clear
5. Check the box next to each type of data you’d like to clear. Recommendation would be to select all data
6. Click Clear to erase the selected data
7. Close your browser

Firefox

1. Click the hamburger icon in the top right corner
2. Select Library, then History, then Clear History
3. Keyboard shortcut to get here is Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows
4. Select the Time Range you’d like to clear
5. Check the box next to each type of data you’d like to clear. Recommendation would be to select all data
6. Click Ok to erase the selected data
7. Close your browser

Opera

1. Click the hamburger icon in the top right corner
2. Scroll down to Browsing Data and click Clear
3. Keyboard shortcut to get here is Ctrl + Shift + Delete on Windows
4. Select the Time Range you’d like to clear
5. Check the box next to each type of data you’d like to clear. Recommendation would be to select all data
6. To clear more data, click the Advanced tab and select the additional boxes of data you’d like to clear
7. Click Clear Data to erase the selected data
8. Close your browser

Internet Explorer

1. Press Ctrl+Shift+Del to open the Delete Browsing History window
2. Check the box next to each type of data you’d like to clear. Recommendation would be to select all data
3. Click Delete
4. Close your browser

Remember:

When you clear the cache and the history list, you erase ALL information that had been previously stored there. If your partner notices that the cache and history list have been deleted, he or she will realize that you know how to delete your tracks as well as possibly thinking that you have something to hide.

A way to avoid suspicion is after clearing the CACHE and HISTORY LIST spend some time visiting sites that you think your partner wouldn’t object to. This way, the cache and history list start to get filled up and your partner might be less likely to notice that old information is missing.

Email

If an abuser has access to your email account, he or she may be able to read your incoming and outgoing mail. If you believe your account is secure, make sure you choose a password that’s difficult to guess. If an abuser sends you threatening or harassing email messages, print and save the messages as evidence of this abuse and report it to police.

A woman’s partner can often tell when she makes up her mind to stop the abuse. Do not underestimate your partner. Always erase your tracks.

Telephone Safety

When you call the Women & Children’s Shelter, or any organization that assists abused women, you must be careful to use a telephone that will not keep a record of the number you called. If you call long distance, the phone number will appear on the bill. Even if you call locally, if you use an Internet-based telephone system, with a name like VOIP or SKYPE, records of the call will be kept. If your partner has access to the system he or she will be able to identify who you have called.

Cell phones can also keep records of the numbers that have been called.

A local call made on a regular telephone line will not produce a record of the call. However, many telephones have a “redial” button, and you may want to call a friend or other “safe” number after you make any call you don’t want your partner to know about – they can check up on you just by pressing “redial”.

One way to be sure your home telephone uses a regular telephone line is to check your telephone bill. It will come from a Telephone Company, such as Bell or Sprint. It will not list any local numbers, only long distance. If you still aren’t sure, you should use extra caution.

The safest way to call or to receive calls from us is from a friend’s phone, a public phone, a work phone, or any telephone that has nothing to do with your partner.

If you are in danger, call 911.