Welcome to the New York Cyber Abuse Task Force.
We are a coalition of New York-based legal and non-legal professionals, survivors, and others committed to fighting technology-facilitated gender-based violence in all its forms.
Our Mission
Advocating for strong laws and policies that appropriately address technology-facilitated gender-based violence and protect and support victims of such abuse.
Supporting attorneys and other service providers working with victims of technology-facilitated gender-based violence by providing trainings, resources, and best practices.
Raising awareness about technology-facilitated gender-based violence and victims’ rights through community, public outreach, and education.
The Task Force includes representatives from a breadth of government and nonprofit agencies, as well as survivors, and independent civil attorneys who have come together to leverage their skills and relationships in pursuit of victims’ justice.
Our Partners
What is Cyber Abuse?
Perpetrators of intimate partner violence are increasingly using online platforms or other digital technologies to abuse, exploit, harass, and threaten their victims. This type of abuse includes an array of harassment and stalking such as hacking, installation of spyware, stalking, spoofing, identity theft, impersonation (including deep fakes ), sexual extortion (colloquially known as sextortion), and the nonconsensual distribution or threat of distribution of sexually explicit images and videos. All of these harms fall under the umbrella of Cyber Abuse, which is sometimes also called Technology-Facilitated Abuse (or “Tech Abuse” for short).
Cyber Sexual Abuse (CSA), also known as image based sex abuse (“IBSA”) or nonconsensual pornography (“NCP”) (formerly known as “revenge porn”) is perhaps the most severe form of tech abuse. CSA is the nonconsensual distribution or threat of distribution of sexually explicit images and videos. The term “revenge porn,” though commonly used, is somewhat of a misnomer and advocates have shifted away from using this term for a variety of reasons. In many cases, perpetrators are not motivated by revenge or by any personal feelings toward the victim. Additionally, the term “revenge” inappropriately victim-blames by implying that a victim committed an act that ought to be avenged, or that the victim did something to warrant or deserve the abusive treatment.
1 in 3
people identify as victims of image-based abuse.
35%
increase of stalkerware victims from 2018 to 2019.
25%
of the 3.4 million stalking cases tracked by RAINN feature the use of technology.
Sources: Australian Institute of Criminology, SecureList, RAINN
Join our cause
The task force is focused on providing a network of resources for survivors to combat cyber abuse. We meet regularly to share knowledge and collaborate towards a future that is free of technology-facilitated gender based violence.
Contact NYCATF Co-Chairs Lindsey Song (lsong@sffny.org) or Annie Seifullah (annie@incendiilaw.com) for information on how to join the New York Cyber Abuse Task Force.
Or if you are interested in starting a Task Force in your state or region!