IT is better to be alone and safe on Valentine’s Day than under the control of a partner say domestic abuse experts.

And according to a new report more and more millennials are using social media and mobile apps to snoop on the ones they love.

The survey run by BestVPN.com showed the darkest side of technology, with some partners suffering from toxic and controlling relationships.

Swindon Women’s Aid director Olwen Kelly said: “Valentine’s Day should be a happy time for people being in a healthy relationship. But we believe that it’s better to be alone and safe rather than being in a relation where your partner controls you. And it’s worse with technology.

“I have to say that there was a real improvement on our day to day life thanks to technology but when it comes to relationships, technology can be very dangerous.

“People can control their partner’s life by using spyware which enables people to access somebody else’s phone without them knowing that they’re being tracked. You can even listen to their phone conversations. It’s a way of surveillance. If your partner is doing that, or if they’re stalking you, it means they don’t trust you. You should seek help, because a relationship should be based on respect trust and love.”

Over 1,000 people took part in the survey, with seven in 10 admitting they looked at their partner’s phone when they were out of sight and more than 60 per cent saying they either knew or had suspicions that their partner stalked them on social media.

More than 70 per cent of people caught cheating were men and 65 per cent of male respondents regularly deleted their history and used private browsing.

One 25-year-old woman from the Old Town, who asked not to be named, caught her boyfriend cheating on her after checking his phone.

She said: “I found out my then boyfriend was sexting someone else when I went through his phone. I didn’t even think of doing it for two years, then I felt something was off and checked his phone. I would do it again.”

Linda Clark, a life coach based in Swindon, said people who feel alone on Valentine’s Day should ask what other resources they have, adding: “Don’t stay alone, go and see your family, your friends or anyone else who makes who feel good. For people in relationships, it’s important to sit down and talk if you’re suspicious. They need to talk to each other. It could be that the person is spending so much time on social media that he or she is not giving enough attention to his or her partner.”