Domestic violence offenders are using smartphone applications and social media to stalk their victims.

The trend towards cyber bullying, harassment and stalking has increased in domestic violence cases in the Hunter, but the issue is a nationwide problem.

Leading online safety expert and Children’s e-Safety Commissioner, Alastair MacGibbon, said the federal government would soon resource his team to help educate families on ­technology-facilitated abuse.

“There are families where the partner is physically abusive, but there are also cases where the partner might be tracking a mobile or following their partner on social media to facilitate the abuse,” he said.

“It is quite prevalent in domestic violence cases, it definitely occurs more often than not.”

Mr McGibbon said there were two main ways abusive partners used technology as a weapon.

The first was the use of social media, such as Facebook, to track a partner’s whereabouts, or to gain information to use in ­psychological abuse.

This is also a threat to people who leave an abusive relationship, because often the ex-partner will use social media to stalk a them, their children, or find out about any new partners.

The other method is the use of location settings on smartphones.

Abusive partners can use simple applications, such as Find My iPhone, to track the exact location of their partner or ex-partner.

“Smartphones provide an interesting avenue for someone who is jealous and hateful,” he said.

“In the past, the husband or partner might look at the odometer on a car and question why they have driven so many kilometres and where they have been.

“Now they can track exactly where they are at any time.”

The solution to this form of cyber abuse is not as easy as switching off a mobile, or deleting a social media account.

For many victims of domestic and family violence it is difficult to flee the situation and they do not want to completely disconnect from their family and friends.

“We encounter this issue with cyber bullying and children too,” he said.

“People who are fleeing a ­situation, to make them leave their social networks will further affect them and isolate them.

“Rather than get offline, we want to teach them to be online, but be safe.”

The federal government with the eSafety commissioner will develop a resource package about online safety for women.The government will also provide up to 20,000 “clean phones” to domestic violence victims.

The mobile phones will allow victims to safely dispose of their old phone, block the perpetrator from contacting them and still have access to their support ­network.