Women are more likely to be victims of doxing and other forms of online violence. And women in public life, like journalists, entertainers and politicians, are especially vulnerable.
Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi was a central figure in the Capitol riot of January 6, 2021. On October 28, 2022, David DePape broke into Nancy Pelosi’s house. Nancy was not home that night. But her husband Paul was, and he managed to call 911.
Police respond and find the two men struggling with a hammer. DePape wins control and hits Paul, fracturing his skull. Later, a police investigator asks DePape if he knows why he’s in custody. He says, “Absolutely.” He claims that Nancy Pelosi and other Democrats committed crimes to steal the election from Donald Trump. Then he says, “I was going to hold her hostage and get her to tell the truth. If she didn't tell the truth, I'd break her kneecaps.”
Because Nancy Pelosi is an elected official – she served as the 52nd speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving from 2007-2011 and again from 2019-2023 – her home address is in the public record. But DePape’s attack was deliberate. In the weeks leading up to it, he did internet searches to collect information about her and her family. He had images of her home.
What can all of us do about it?
- Keep your usernames private.
- Use a unique username for each platform.
- Avoid doing online quizzes and filling out app permissions.
- Don’t share personal information.
Final word: Online privacy is becoming harder and harder to preserve as we all connect more and more on the internet. So take a few extra steps to protect your personal information.
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