Covering Your Tracks

If you are thinking of leaving an abusive relationship, this can be a difficult time. There is a greater risk of violence when an intimate relationship is ending. We’re here for you. Call us to get support and plan for you and your children’s safety.

Cover your Internet tracks. If you have surfed this and/or other websites you will have left a trail that allows others to see which sites you have visited.

Following these steps should clear your browser’s history and cache files; this does not guarantee, however, that information will not be left on your browser.

Mobile Devices

• Set a device password and change it often.
• Be sure to delete any private message conversations located in your text messages.
• Log out of your social media and email accounts after you’re finished a session.
• Check your privacy settings frequently.
• Be mindful of tracking applications on your smartphone.

Social Media

• Be sure to delete any private message conversations located in your inbox.
• Log out of your account after you’re finished a session.
• Change your password often.
• Check your privacy settings frequently.

Chrome

• Open a new browser or tab and click on the wrench in the upper right corner.
• Click on History. When the page opens, click Clear All Browsing Data from the top of the page.
• Or select Tools and then select Clear Browsing Data.

Firefox

• Open the Firefox browser and navigate to the Tools menu (for Windows users) or the Firefox menu (for Mac users).
• Click the Tools drop down menu and then click Clear Private Data.
• If you are using a newer version of Firefox, you can click Tools drop down menu and then click Clear Recent History.
• Press the “OK” or “Clear Now” button (Windows) or simply close the preferences box (Mac). Your cache will now be clear.

Safari

• From the Safari menu, click Reset Safari.
• When asked, “Are you sure you want to reset Safari?” check all the boxes and click Reset.
• From the Safari menu, click Preferences.
• Click Privacy
• Click Remove All Website Data.

Internet Explorer

• If you are using Internet Explorer 6 or an older version, click on Tools in the menu.
• Click on Internet Options.
• In the General tab under Temporary Internet Files, click on Delete Files. This will clear your browser’s cache.
• Under History, click on Clear History. This will clear the pages you’ve recently visited.
• If you are using Internet Explorer 7, click on Tools.
• In the General tab under Internet Options, click Delete under Browsing History. This will delete everything from the new dialogue window that appears.

Email

• Be sure to delete any outgoing and incoming emails.
• Change your email password often (at least once a month).
• Print all threatening and harassing emails to use as evidence of criminal activity.
• Be sure to delete emails from your Deleted folder

Other resources:

How To Delete Searches & Browsing History (Google)

3 Ways to Clear History on an iPhone