Holistic Security Portal | LGBTQ+ Safety Tips

Use long, unique passwords for every account, ideally with a password manager.
Turn on two-step verification, preferably with an authenticator app rather than SMS.
Use end-to-end encrypted messengers such as Signal, and turn on disappearing messages.
Review privacy settings and app permissions regularly, and switch off location sharing.
Keep your operating system and apps up to date: updates close security holes.
Use a trusted VPN or the Tor Browser when needed, and avoid public Wi-Fi for anything sensitive.

Verify who someone is before meeting, for example with a video call, and be wary of new or empty profiles.
Don’t send photos showing your face or identifying marks, or personal details, early on.
Meet for the first time in a public place, and tell someone you trust where and when.
Agree on an emergency code word with a friend and a set time for them to check on you.
If you feel doubt or pressure, leave immediately. Your safety matters more than any date.

Set a strong screen lock (a passcode of six digits or more) and don’t rely on your fingerprint alone.
Make sure device encryption is on; most modern phones enable it by default with a screen lock.
Delete sensitive chats and photos regularly, and check what is automatically saved to cloud backups.
Before travelling or passing through checkpoints, consider hiding or deleting apps and chats that could reveal your identity.
Learn how to remotely wipe your device if it is lost or confiscated.

Vary your usual routes and routines if you feel you are being watched.
Save the numbers of trusted people and a lawyer you can call in an emergency.
Prepare an emergency plan: where you will go, who you will call and what you will take with you.
Document any assault or threat (date, place, details) and keep the record somewhere safe.

Stress and fear are natural reactions to an unnatural reality. Don’t blame yourself.
Build a small support network of people you trust and feel safe with.
Take breaks from the news and social media when they become overwhelming.
Seek psychological support from affirming professionals; we can help you reach them.

If you are arrested or threatened, try to stay calm and don’t sign anything without a lawyer present.
Contact us as soon as it is safe to do so; we try to provide emergency support as much as we can.
Don’t discuss the details of what happened over unencrypted channels.

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