Smartwatch Stalking Cases Surge at 'Alarming' Rate as Abusers Exploit Wearable Technology
Domestic abusers are increasingly turning to smartwatches, rings and connected home devices to stalk, surveil and control survivors, with a leading charity warning of an "alarming" escalation in technology-facilitated abuse.
New data released by Refuge reveals a 62 per cent increase in referrals to its specialist technology-facilitated abuse and economic empowerment team during 2025. The charity handled 829 cases last year, a significant rise from 512 referrals recorded in 2024.
Wearable Technology Creates New Opportunities for Perpetrators
Emma Pickering, who leads the tech abuse team at Refuge, told The Independent that the surge is being driven by the "increasing accessibility" and "reach" of wearable technology. These devices now allow perpetrators to monitor and control survivors even from different countries, creating unprecedented challenges for victims seeking safety.
"Years ago, a perpetrator needed to physically be in the house to change the heating and turn the lights on and off," Ms Pickering explained. "Now you don't even need to be in the same country and you can use smart locks to trap someone in or outside a property. You don't have to physically be anywhere near the person that you're targeting."
Multiple Technologies Being Weaponised Against Survivors
While most reports involve wearable health technology like smartwatches and rings, Refuge has identified multiple other devices being manipulated by abusers:
- Smart locks that can trap victims inside or outside properties
- Heating and lighting systems controlled remotely to intimidate
- Fertility trackers used to monitor and control reproductive choices
- Cloud accounts linked to devices that reveal location data
Ms Pickering emphasised that technology companies need to do more to safeguard their products, stating it is "unacceptable" for the safety of women and children to be treated as an "afterthought."
Younger Victims Particularly Vulnerable to Tech-Enabled Abuse
According to Refuge's data, 24 per cent of tech-related referrals involve people under the age of 30. Ms Pickering noted that while younger people are generally considered more tech-savvy, their status as digital natives means technology is "natural to them" and deeply integrated into their daily lives.
"Older people can do without technology in a way that a younger person just can't, and that's probably why the data looks the way it does," she explained.
Survivor Describes 'Constant Sense of Paranoia'
One survivor supported by Refuge, identified as Mina, described being left "deeply shocked" and "frightened" after discovering her abuser was stalking her through cloud accounts linked to her smartwatch.
"I felt suddenly exposed and unsafe, knowing that my location was being tracked without my consent," she said. "It created a constant sense of paranoia; I couldn't relax, sleep properly, or feel settled anywhere because I knew my movements weren't private."
Her abuser used the location data to post documents to her exact location and confirm her whereabouts to police, which Mina described as "terrifying" and reinforcing the feeling that "there was nowhere I could go without being watched."
Government Response and Industry Accountability
The warning comes amid growing concerns about technology-facilitated abuse, including reports of women being filmed without consent using smart glasses. Experts have highlighted the "multifold" harms victims experience, from risks of deepfakes to having to constantly guard their privacy in public spaces.
A government spokesperson responded: "Tackling violence against women and girls in all its forms, including when it takes place online or is facilitated by technology, is a top priority for this government. Our new VAWG strategy sets out how the full power of the state will be deployed online and offline."
Ms Pickering urged technology companies to consider abuse risks during product development: "As things progress, we have to remember that the data it collects is going to have to sit somewhere. We have to think - who can access it? Can someone hack into it? Can someone manipulate it, and what are we doing to think of that in an intimate partner abuse context?"
With wearable technology becoming "cheaper to purchase than ever before" and increasingly integrated into daily life, Refuge warns that without proper safeguards, these devices will continue to provide perpetrators with powerful new tools for surveillance and control.
