Computer use can be monitored and is impossible to completely clear. If you bookmark this or any other site about domestic violence, the fact that you've been seeking information or help may be discovered by someone else. As a safeguard, you may either want to access this site from somewhere other than home and/or clear all cache, cookies and history files from your web browser.

If you think your activities are being monitored, they probably are. Abusive people are controlling and want to know your every move. You don't need to be a computer programmer or have special skills to monitor someone's computer activities - anyone can do it and there are many ways to monitor.

If you think you may be monitored on your home computer, you might consider no home Internet use or "safer" Internet surfing. Example: If you are planning to flee Illinois, don't look at classified ads for jobs and apartments, bus tickets, etc. for your destination on a home computer or any computer an abuser has physical or remote access to. Use a safer computer to research an escape plan.

Email is NOT a safe or confidential way to talk to someone about the abuse you are experiencing, please call us instead.

If you are in danger:

·         Call 911

To eliminate traces of your visit to this website:

Cookies and cache

Temporary Internet files, or cache, contain a "travel record" of the items you have seen, heard, or downloaded from the web, including images, sounds, web pages, even cookies. Cookies are cryptic bookmarks that a website can place on your computer to acknowledge your prior visit, authenticate your access or let you continue surfing a site from where you last left off. They can leave a trail of evidence of where you have been on the web. So if you visit a website on domestic violence and a cookie is created, others can trace your trail and discover where you've been.

Enable InPrivate browsing for Internet Explorer 8, which allows for completely anonymous browsing sessions.

1. Click on the Safety icon button on the Command bar, and click on InPrivate Browsing, or. open a new tab in IE8 and and click on the Start InPrivate Browsing link.
2. When you have finished browsing, simply close the window.

Clear the cache for Internet Explorer 7

1. Click "Start" and select "Control Panel." (Note: With Windows XP Classic View click the Windows "Start" button and select "Settings" and "Control Panel").
2. Open the "Internet Options" icon.
3. Click the "General" tab if it isn't selected already.
4. Click the "Delete" button.
5. Under the heading "Temporary Internet files," click "Delete Files."
6. Click "OK" to exit.

Clear cookies for Internet Explorer 7

1. Click "Start" and select "Control Panel." (Note: With Windows XP Classic View click the Windows "Start" button and select "Settings" and "Control Panel").
2. Open the Internet Options icon.
3. Click the "General" tab if it isn't selected already.
4. Under the Browsing history section, click the "Delete" button.
5. Click the "Delete cookies" button.
6. Select "Yes" if a box appears to confirm.
7. Click "OK" to close the window.