Keep your devices updated and patched
You reached out and we heard you. The information here will help you understand what we do, how we do it, and what you need to know right away. Please review the information that you feel is relevant to you.
Please note that this information does not replace our services. Rather, this is a reference for you to use as we continue to work together.
We focus on the safety, security, and technology layer that is all-too-often missing in advocacy solutions. For example, survivors often hear advice saying “just leave” or “call the hotline.” This may be good advice for the situation, but what happens if it’s not yet safe to leave? What if the abuser is monitoring their calls?
Our goal is to help rebuild your digital life and protect your devices and accounts, regain your privacy, protect your physical environment, safely escape and reach critical resources, and stay safe once you’re out. We’re experts in privacy, technology, and security- and we bring decades of experience to helping you stay safe… online, and off.
Operation Safe Escape:– Does not provide legal advice. We will help you locate and safely contact appropriate legal resources such as pro-bono lawyers in your area– Are not medical professionals and unable to give appropriate medical advice– Does not operate domestic violence shelters / safe house, food banks, or other critical social services. Our practice is to safely connect survivors with the critical services in the appropriate area
Please let your the team know immediately if any of the following apply:
This information will help us better focus on your safety and security.
Remember: sometimes it’s a sprint, sometimes it’s a marathon. Sprints are faster, marathons are safer.
In the next steps, your team is going to work with you to thoroughly understand your situation and risks, evaluate the security-related aspects, and develop a comprehensive security plan that addresses all aspects of your unique circumstances. Although emergencies do happen, the more time you have to plan and prepare, the safer the outcome.
Your intake specialist (who by now you’ve already heard from) will work with you to figure out what’s going on and what you need to be safe and secure. We know this can sometimes feel a little bit overwhelming- like you’re facing a lot of questions or being asked to provide things that you may have been asked about before. We get it, and try to get to the root of the problem as quickly as possible. This phase is so critically important, so we appreciate your patience as we try to identify all the risks, indicators, and vulnerabilities that we need to deal with. Especially in high-risk situations, making changes without a holistic plan can actually make the situation worse. For example, securing online accounts in the “wrong” order may actually give the abuser a way to get back into the seemingly safe accounts or may alert them and allow them to better cover their tracks.
Once we have enough information to make an accurate diagnosis, we can move into the remediation and recovery stage. In complex cases, this often means helping establish a highly protected “core” (such as locking down your network and a handful of devices using new accounts), then building on that as devices and accounts are “cleared” or rebuilt. This offers maximum safety and technical security. However, the approach will be based on your circumstances and needs.
If at any point you feel your safety is at risk, please let us know right away so we can focus on safety planning and secure communications.
In many cases, you may have a lengthy list of observations and concerns about your accounts or devices which have left you worried about hacking or account security. Examples of some that we hear often include websites not loading, non-specific error messages, visual glitches, battery issues, and more. In some cases, these can be linked to security issues. In other cases, they may have a different cause. Either way, we encourage you to share your observations and concerns with us to help build an overall picture of what’s happening.
Our specialists are trained to consider these lists and determine if they count as data points or as evidence.
Data point: A data point are those observations and events that help build a picture of what’s happening, but may not definitively establish a specific cause. This may include errors with multiple potential causes, occurrences that can’t be replicated, and events that did not occur in a controlled or attributable way.
Evidence: Events, logs, or artifacts that were collected in a controlled and verifiable manner, which can be used to validate a potential compromise or can be attributed to a specific individual.
The priority is always your safety, but if it’s possible to collect or identify evidence we will assist you in that process.
A note on our policies and our position on non-discrimination:Operation Safe Escape does not discriminate based on race, age, gender or gender expression, sexual orientation, immigration status, religion, or any other characteristic. Our staff is obligated ensure child abuse and neglect is reported, and will assist you in reporting child abuse to the proper authorities.
If you feel that you’re in immediate danger, call 911 or visit an emergency shelter. Operation Safe Escape is not an emergency or law enforcement service. If you have immediate concerns about your safety, contact emergency services.
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