Tracking the location of victims

Batterers can use features like caller ID, last number call-return, and fax headers to determine their partners' approximate location. By calling national directory assistance, one can request an operator to look up an address that correlates to a phone number. If a survivor flees to a shelter, but communicates with the batterer (or someone who shares information with the batterer), the batterer may track the location of the victim through the number listed at the head of a faxed document or from the display of a phone with caller ID. Many people are unaware that they need to enter a special code or re-program their fax in order to "block" their number from being displayed. Free caller ID "line-blocking" can be placed on regular phone lines and fax lines to prevent the phone number from appearing with caller ID.

It is important to be very careful of calling 1-800 type "call-me" numbers. Toll-free numbers report the phone number of the caller on the phone bill, even if Caller-ID blocking is established. This is because the phone company believes that the person who is paying the bill has the right to know where the calls are coming from. The most anonymous way to call someone is to use a pre-paid telephone card purchased from a national vendor. Although these are not totally anonymous, they require much more work to track down.

Global Positioning Software (GPS) technology is now readily available on the consumer market. Batterers can install GPS in a car for less than $300 and the system is accurate enough to tell which side of the road a car is parked.

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