National Coding Week - Building Your Digital Confidence to Support Survivors

National Coding Week takes place between 14th-20th September and celebrates the importance of digital skills and confidence in an increasingly digital world. It is an opportunity to reflect on how technology in general shapes our daily lives, and to build confidence in supporting each other to be safe online.

We all have different levels of digital confidence, from basic web searches through to computer programming - and there is always more to learn. You don't have to be a cybersecurity expert to be able to offer basic support to survivors experiencing technology-facilitated abuse. Understanding the basics of how technology works and how to secure our own devices and accounts can help us have more informed conversations with survivors about how technology-facilitated abuse can present itself and how technology can be used safely. The more we understand the technology we use, the more we can understand the risks and opportunities that it presents too. Coding sits behind much of the technology we use every day, including websites, apps, online banking, and social media - but we don't have to understand exactly how they are built to learn how to use them safely.

Believing survivors when they disclose technology-facilitated abuse is one impactful thing that anyone can do, regardless on their level of tech knowledge.

It is also important to remember the benefits technology can provide. We hear survivors of technology-facilitated abuse telling us that they are often advised to disengage from technology entirely, but at Refuge we believe that technology is important for connection, information and support. Supporting survivors to develop their digital skills and confidence empowers them to continue to use technology safely, rather than losing access to the digital world.

At Refuge's Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment Team, we are domestic abuse experts, with specialist knowledge in the ways technology is being misused as part of domestic abuse. We use this expertise to create accessible resources to help people feel more confident navigating technology and understanding how to secure it if needed.

• Glossary - We have a glossary where we explain 70 common technology terms in ways that are easy to understand.
• Guides for securing technology - View our practical step-by-step guides on how to secure the most common devices and accounts.
• Digital Breakup Tool - Use our interactive tool for help securing technology and accounts after breaking up with a partner.

You can also view our website at refugetechsafety.org for more information on technology-facilitated abuse, and the BBC Teach website for short videos on coding and tech terms to expand your knowledge.

Training opportunities with Refuge

If you would like to learn more about how technology is being misused, we also deliver a range of CPD accredited and bespoke training courses designed to upskill professionals on the emerging risks of technology-facilitated and economic abuse.

Online Misogyny and the Manospehere

Wednesday 2nd December 2026 - 10:00am-11:30am (online) This session introduces the growing threat of online misogyny and the manospehere, looking at how these communities fuel technology-facilitated abuse, shape harmful attitudes towards women and girls, and what this means for survivors of domestic abuse.

There are a limited number of free tickets available for charity professionals, and £10 tickets for statutory and for-profit organisations.

Get your tickets

Upcoming podcast episode

Refuge... In Conversation With, Experts on Migrant Experiences of Economic Abuse

Featuring Punita Chaubey from Sheffield Hallam University, Kaveri Qureshi from the University of Edinburgh, and Anna Barnett from Opoka, this episode will focus on migrant and minority ethnic women's experiences of economic abuse.

We will explore how immigration status, financial exclusion, and wider structural inequalities can increase vulnerability to abuse, and what needs to change to ensure survivors can access meaningful support.

You can follow our podcast on Spotify to keep up to date on new releases. Refuge Tech Safety Newsletter - September 2026

Get support

If you have been impacted by any of the issues discussed in this article, do know that support is available.

For domestic abuse support, please contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on a trusted device. The National Domestic Abuse Helpline can be accessed 24/7 and provides both practical and emotional support to individuals impacted by domestic abuse. The Helpline can be contacted on a freephone 0808 2000 247. Support is also available via British Sign Language – 10 AM to 6 PM Monday to Friday.

To find out more information about digital safety and how you can keep your information safe online, please access Refuge’s tech safety guides through our website on a trusted device. We also have a dedicated Home Tech Tool which is designed to support survivors to identify devices in their home which could be misused, with guidance on how to secure them safely.