Safe Tech, Safe Futures – Protecting Native Youth in the Digital World

At the Coalition to Stop Violence Against Native Women (CSVANW), we believe that every relative, especially our Native youth, deserves to feel safe, seen, and supported. That includes our homes, schools, communities, and increasingly, our digital lives.

This July, as part of our Safe Tech, Safe Futures campaign, we are focusing on digital safety for Native youth. Grounded in our vision of Healthy Families, Healthy Communities, we share culturally grounded knowledge and tools that help young people and those who support them navigate technology with care, confidence, and resilience.

Why Tech Safety Matters for Native Youth

Our youth are growing up in a world where phones, apps, and social media are part of everyday life. For many Native teens, digital spaces are essential for connection, culture-sharing, and creativity. But they can also become spaces of harm.

An alarming look at how technology is misused in teen dating violence:

• 1 in 4 teens in relationships have experienced harassment or put-downs via texting (source: Liz Claiborne and TRU. 2007. Tech Abuse in Teen Relationships Study).
• 40% of youth aged 14–24 say a partner has accessed their messages without permission.
• 1 in 12 teens who sent explicit content had it shared without their consent. (source)

In Native communities, where systemic neglect already leaves interpersonal violence under-recognized, digital harms are even more likely to go unseen and unaddressed.

Understanding Technology-Facilitated Abuse

Technology-facilitated abuse is a form of emotional or verbal abuse that uses digital tools, like messaging apps, social media, GPS, and smart devices, to harass, intimidate, control, or stalk someone.

Common Examples:

• Controlling who you follow or talk to online
• Sending abusive or threatening messages
• Using GPS or social media to track you
• Posting humiliating content or impersonating you
• Pressuring for explicit images or sexts
• Demanding access to your phone or passwords
• Using smart home tech (e.g., speakers, cameras) to surveil

These forms of abuse can feel isolating and overwhelming, but they are real, serious, and preventable.

Digital Safety & Privacy Tips for Native Youth

You have the right to privacy, respect, and safety; online and offline. Here are some tips to protect yourself:

• Don’t share passwords, especially under pressure
• Document abuse. Screenshot messages and save records
• Adjust privacy settings across all platforms
• Avoid location sharing or check-ins that give away your location
• Block or limit contact with someone who’s harmful
• Change settings or numbers if harassment escalates
• Know your rights. Sexting involving minors is illegal and has serious consequences

If you or someone you know is experiencing tech-based abuse, help is available. Visit loveisrespect.org or contact a Hotline.

Digital Barriers Native Youth Face

Many Native teens experiencing abuse don’t report it. Some fear not being believed, being outed, or punished. Others face systemic barriers like:

• Dismissing youth voices and lack of autonomy
• Distrust of institutions
• Underfunded or inaccessible resources
• Cultural shame or stigma

When paired with rising threats like AI-generated abuse, over-surveillance, and deepfakes, the risks become even more complex.

Reclaiming Digital Safety as a Path to Healing

But technology isn’t only used to harm. It can also be a source of healing, community, and strength.

Native youth are using tech to:

• Document injustice
• Share culture and stories
• Access support networks
• Build community across distance

Safe Tech, Safe Futures celebrates this power while also addressing the realities and risks.

Stay Connected

• Sign up for our newsletter at csvanw.org
• Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Threads, Bluesky and TikTok
• Share using hashtags: #SafeTechSafeFutures | #CycleBreak