What happens when the man you trusted becomes the one who violates you?
During Men’s Mental Health Month 2025, we’re getting serious about why awareness of tech-facilitated abuse matters and how you can get help if a man in your life has committed this type of abuse.
At Lindsay Lieberman Law and Consulting, we represent victims of tech-facilitated abuse. I have seen first-hand how many people have experienced a deeply personal and disturbing form of betrayal when their own husbands or partners impersonate them online, sharing their most private, intimate images and videos with strangers and people they know.
If this has happened to you… you’re not alone. And it’s not your fault!
Tech-facilitated abuse and the men behind the screen
Because so many men do not feel safe accessing mental health support, they often internalize their own feelings and struggle with anger, shame, fear, and self-doubt.
When that struggle can no longer remain inside, some men default to tech-facilitated abuse.
This kind of abuse often includes:
- A man creating fake social media or dating profiles in his partner’s name where he shares explicit content and invites contact.
- Sharing private images, taken with or without consent, with his friends, family, coworkers, or strangers.
- Sending explicit or demeaning messages from the victim’s own account pretending to be the victim.
- Engaging in gaslighting and manipulative behaviors when the truth is discovered, making the victim feel confused and like it’s their own fault.
Let’s be clear about these actions. This is abuse. It’s not a joke or a misunderstanding.
This type of abuse is far more common than you may realize, and the men who commit this type of abuse are typically acting out from an internalized need for control or in response to unresolved shame or untreated mental health issues.
If you have been the victim of technology-facilitated abuse like the scenarios described above, it is not your fault or your responsibility to “fix” the man who engaged in the abuse. It is our responsibility as a society and community to destigmatize mental health struggles and create an environment where men feel comfortable and capable of reaching out when they realize they are struggling.
The Importance of Men’s Mental Health Month 2025
The impact of technology-facilitated abuse is devastating.
No matter how someone is struggling, the responsibility for the abuse always lies with the person who caused the harm.
Mental health struggles never justify violating someone’s body, identity, or safety.
But because these actions are often rooted in a need for control, unresolved share, or untreated mental health issues, we can take action to make sure this type of abuse happens less often because more men feel comfortable seeking help with their own mental health.
As we advocate, specifically this month, for men to seek mental health support, it’s also a time to increase awareness among men who are struggling in silence, shame, and secrecy: If you are feeling out of control, it is your responsibility to get help before you engage in abusive behavior that harms your partner.
Abuse leaves most women feeling alone and isolated. And while we can help decrease the instances of abuse in the future by shining a light on the importance of men seeking mental health help… it doesn’t change the fact of the abuse someone has already suffered.
Victims of technology-facilitated abuse are never alone. Unfortunately, there are a number of women who can understand the pain and share in the struggle to move forward.
This isn’t your fault. It’s not just you, and there’s nothing you did to deserve this.
The best thing you can do for yourself is to get help. There’s no “right” way to move forward after abuse, but you can work with professionals who understand your options and can guide you toward the right path for you.
You have rights and deserve protection
When my clients come to me and tell me their own husbands have been impersonating them and sending their nude images to other people, they are often in shock, disbelief, and crisis mode. It feels too strange and too invasive to be true. But it’s common. And we can help you make sense of this.
There are many different ways we can help you seek justice and feel protected after being subjected to technology-facilitated abuse.
You may be entitled to:
- A civil protection order (even if you’re still married or living together)
- Removal of content and legal takedown assistance
- Criminal charges against your abuser under laws prohibiting the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images, impersonation, or digital stalking
- Civil lawsuits for emotional distress, defamation, or invasion of privacy
You do not have to go through this alone. We are here to help guide you and protect you through the entire process!
Let’s make Men’s Mental Health Month 2025 the month we prioritize truth and accountability.
We can name abuse for what it is, even when it comes from someone you love.
We can affirm that violating your partner’s trust, identity, or body is always abuse and never a “cry for help.”
If you have experienced this kind of abuse, your pain matters.
You’re not alone!
There are legal and emotional support resources available to help you reclaim your safety and voice. Let us help you choose the help and legal actions that align with what you need and want.
