Cover Your Tracks

We understand that you may be seeking private resources and information online. If you are thinking about leaving an abusive relationship, your safety and the safety of your family are our top priorities. It’s important to know that the risk of harm can increase when a relationship ends, so planning ahead is key.

Browsing Safely Online

Whenever possible, use private or incognito browsing modes. These are often called New Incognito Window in Google Chrome or New Private Window in Safari and Firefox. Private browsing helps reduce traces of your online activity on shared devices.

Clearing Your Browser History and Data

Even in private mode, it’s a good idea to clear your browsing history, cookies, and cache regularly. Here’s how to do this in popular browsers:

Google Chrome
  1. Click the three dots at the top right corner of your browser.
  2. Select History > History, then choose sites to remove, or click Clear Browsing Data.
  3. Choose what you want to delete and click Clear data.
Mozilla Firefox
  1. Clear all browsing history: Click the menu (three vertical lines) > History > Clear Recent History. Select a time frame and options, then click OK.
  2. Clear specific sites: Menu > History > Show All History, right-click a site and choose Delete Page or Forget About This Site.
  3. Cookies and cache: Menu > Options/Preferences > Privacy & Security, scroll to Cookies and Site Data, and choose Clear Data or Manage Data for specific sites.
Safari
  1. From the Safari menu, select History > Show All History.
  2. Right-click items to delete or choose Clear History.
  3. Close the window when finished.
Internet Explorer
  1. Click the Settings icon > Internet Options.
  2. Under Browsing History in the General tab, click Delete…
  3. Choose what to remove (temporary files, cookies, history) and confirm.
Microsoft Edge
  1. Go to Settings and more… > Settings > Privacy, search, and services.
  2. Under Clear browsing data, select what to delete and the time range, then click Clear now.

Cover your email tracks

  1. Be sure to delete any outgoing and incoming emails (both inbox and sent).
  2. It is best practice to change your email password often (at least once a month).
  3. Print all threatening and harassing emails to use as evidence of criminal activity.
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