Tech Safety Team - 2025 Year in Review

As we approach the end of 2025, it is important to reflect on a year of remarkable growth, innovation and sector-wide impact for the Tech Safety and Economic Empowerment Team. This year has been another busy year, with referrals increasing by 62% in the first nine months alone compared with the same period in 2024. The rise reflects both the increasing complexity of both tech-facilitated abuse and economic abuse and the growing recognition of our team as trusted, specialist experts.

Successes

We have developed a two-year partnership with the Government of Jersey, delivering bespoke training to local agencies and building strong ongoing pathways to improve recognition and responses to tech abuse across the island. Alongside this, we delivered a wide range of external training sessions and public awareness events via Eventbrite, covering emerging topics such as the risks posed by AI and the unique vulnerabilities faced by children and young people.

Our collaborations with the financial sector continued to grow. This year we formed a partnership with Skipton to develop new economic support pathways via the National Domestic Abuse Helpline. Worked with Aviva to raise awareness of economic abuse and provide survivors with direct casework support. Continued to develop safe access to banking via Barclays and Nationwide. Maintained long-standing partnerships with ICAP and PayPlan.

In July, we published our 5-year reflection PayPlan report, highlighting stark inequalities survivors experiencing domestic and economic abuse face, they wait on average 70 days for an outcome and resolution, compared to 15 days for those that face debt not linked to abuse. This data continues to drive policy conversations and sector reform.

Throughout the 16 Days of Activism, we took part in numerous events focused on this year's theme - digital abuse - spotlighting the escalating risks many survivors face both online and offline.

During the year we have met with the London's Victim's Commissioner, Domestic Abuse Commissioner and participated on panels at the Labour Party Conference. Raising awareness of the challenges women and girls face when experiencing tech abuse and economic abuse.

We have participated in a number of media opportunities, from TV, radio to news outlets to raise awareness of tech and economic abuse.

Supported a number of documentaries, including one for Waterloo Road which highlighted how tech-facilitated abuse impacts younger people in educational settings. Helped develop a number of scripts for programmes that have a focus on tech abuse.

We hosted our second Tech Safety Summit, a two-day virtual event which received overwhelmingly positive feedback. This year's focus was on innovation and solutions. We also marked our first Tech Safety Awards, recognising expectational individuals in both the financial sector and tech sector who are driving meaningful change.

Internationally, we are proud to sponsor Assel's Tech initiative supporting women in Afghanistan to purchase careers in tech, connecting them with UK mentors and networks.

We developed a new online safety tool for children and young people in our refuges for Safer Internet Day. Across the year we expanded our reach through digital assets, podcasts, newsletters, and the Tech Safety website. A major milestone for Refuge, was welcoming our first podcast ambassador, Eni Aluko, whose powerful reflections of online abuse and racism helped shape practical solutions for the tech sector, legislators and regulators.

Looking ahead to 2026

As the scale and complexity of tech-facilitated abuse continues to grow, we remain committed to innovation, survivor-centred practice, and influencing systemic change. In 2026 we aim to :

Expand our reach and support more survivors and professionals.
Produce additional digital tools and resources.
Strengthen our partnerships.
Deliver another successful Tech Safety Summit.
Enhance training and content to improve responses for survivors.
Establish an Advisory Group to guide our strategic vision.

Huge thank you to our supporters, partners and colleagues in the sector who have been supporting the work and continue to help drive meaningful change for survivors.

Refuge… In Conversation with, Hourglass

The hidden abuse in later life

In our latest podcast, Refuge’s Emma Pickering is joined by Carrie Bower of Hourglass to explore how technology-facilitated and economic abuse affect older people. They reveal how abuse in later life is often hidden, from banking apps and powers of attorney to surveillance framed as “care”, and how ageism, shame and data gaps leave many older survivors unseen. Drawing on frontline experience, the discussion challenges myths, highlights common perpetrators, and calls for change across technology, finance, policy and support services. Compassionate and eye-opening, this episode reframes how we understand abuse, ageing and digital inclusion. And why older survivors must no longer be invisible.

Training Opportunities in 2026

Digital Control: Technology Facilitated Abuse in Modern Relationships

We are really excited to announce that our February 2026 webinar series 'Digital Control: Technology Facilitated Abuse in Modern Relationships' is now live. This is a four part webinar series delivered in response to Safer Internet Day and Valentines day.

Each session will focus on a different emerging technological or economic risk to survivors of domestic abuse and their children. The sessions will each be 60 minutes long with a 15 minute Q&A.

Tickets are £5 per session for charitable, educational, and statutory organisations and £10 for profit organisations. Links can be found below, and I really hope to see as many of you there as possible. Please feel free to share with all of your networks and organisations.

Fashioning Consent: Rethinking Smart Accessories: Tuesday 3rd February 10am -11.15am (online) Eventbrite Link

Swiping Safely: Navigating Dating Apps After Abuse: Wednesday 11th February 10am - 11.15am (online): Eventbrite Link

Behind the Screen: Romance Scams and Domestic Abuse: Tuesday 17th February 11am - 12.15pm (online) Eventbrite Link

Intimacy: Exploring the Risks of AI Companions: Wednesday 25th February: 11am - 12.15pm (online) Eventbrite Link