Crime Stoppers Victoria has launched The Bug Hunter: Uncovering the hidden threats in Family Violence, a gripping new podcast that shines a light on the chilling ways technology is being twisted into a weapon of abuse.

Featuring Stephen Wilson, CEO of Protective Group and one of Australia’s leading experts in risk management and victim safety, the episode pulls back the curtain on the often-unseen dangers of tech-facilitated abuse. With a 37-year career across Victoria Police, national investigations and high-level security, Stephen brings rare insight into how perpetrators exploit devices to monitor, control and intimidate their victims.

Listeners will hear how phones, trackers and cameras are turned into tools of fear, the warning signs that someone may be monitored, and why these behaviours are often an early red flag of escalating violence.

“Too often, when someone says, ‘I think I’m being watched’ or ‘I feel like I’m being followed’, the first reaction by others isn’t concern, it’s disbelief,” Crime Stoppers Victoria Chief Executive Stella Smith says. “But stalking, coercive control and tech-facilitated abuse are very real, and ignoring those early warning signs leaves people exposed and unsafe.”

The Bug Hunter is more than a podcast – it is a call to action that urges bystanders to listen, believe and act, and encourages victims to seek help.

“Technology has given perpetrators new ways to control and isolate their victims,” Ms Smith adds. “But it has also given us more ways to recognise, report and stop abuse. Speaking up can save lives.”

The Bug Hunter: Uncovering the hidden threats in Family Violence is available now wherever you get your podcasts and through the Crime Stoppers Victoria website.