Since 2014, Operation Safe Escape has been working with survivors of domestic violence, stalking, and harassment to help them find safety and freedom.
Operation Safe Escape is a 501c3 nonprofit organization, founded in 2016 with a single goal: to make sure that every person impacted by domestic violence has the resources, information, and confidence that they need to leave their abuser and stay safe once they do. We are an organization of security and safety professionals, volunteering our time and expertise to help people stay safe and live their best lives. And we do it all for free. We don’t change you to help you protect yourselves or your clients. We don’t change the people that come to us for help. We don’t make a profit, we’re just here because we want to help. We have experts in computer and mobile device security, forensics, physical security, tech support, OPSEC, OSINT, and online privacy.
We’ve participated in over 3,000 successful escapes, and we’re a trauma informed / survivor-centric organization. Every one of our volunteers have thorough background checks; safety and trust is paramount to us. We have over 100 volunteers with backgrounds in law enforcement, military, technology, advocacy, and other relevant skills that we can provide to your organization. No matter how skilled or knowledgeable the abuser or stalker is, we’re stronger when we all work together.
This is for anyone who seeks to enhance their digital hygiene and security in light of anticipated or existing threats, but it is especially designed for women, Black, indigenous, and people of color, trans people, and everyone else whose existing oppressions are made worse by digital violence. It details best security practices for social media, email, online gaming, website hosting, and protecting privacy of personal information online, as well as the documentation and reporting of harassment, and caring for yourself emotionally during an online attack. You don’t need any specialized knowledge to use this guide – just basic computer and internet skills.
The authors of the guide have all been targets of cyber attacks ourselves; we’ve written the guide we needed when the attacks on us began. We’re all based in the USA, but we’ve done our best to make it useful no matter where you live.
Whether you’re experiencing or witnessing online abuse, this Field Manual offers concrete strategies for how to defend yourself and others. We wrote this guidance with and for those disproportionately impacted by online abuse: writers, journalists, artists, and activists who identify as women, BIPOC, and/or LGBTQIA+. Whatever your identity or vocation, anyone active online will find useful tools and resources here for navigating online abuse and tightening digital safety.