The internet is a great source of information, and email can be an excellent way to communicate with family and friends. Be aware that someone who has access to your computer may be able to see what sites you have visited, or read your email messages.
There are steps you can take to make it more difficult for someone to track your activities. If your abuser knows his or her way around computers it might be better for you to use a computer outside the home - at a library, school, internet café or a friend's house.
If you would like more information on clearing your internet search history, blocking cookies or other email safety, please visit www.shelternet.ca
Remember, your safety is most important. If your abuser is comfortable with computers, and sees that you have cleared all the cache and history files on your computer (including the sites they have visited), they could become suspicious or angry. If that is a possibility, it would be better for you to use a computer they cannot have access to - for example, at a library, a friend's house, or at work.