You cannot boot from the SD card without having enough access to the device to modify the initfs (for someone not highly familiar with Linux, this would involve using fanoush's initfs_flasher, which must be run on a booted device). Either way, even if one were able to boot to something other than the rootfs, getting the rootfs mounted takes a bit of work from there.

Not easily over USB (and definitely not while the device is booted), but do not store anything of importance on either the 2GB internal flash or the MiniSD card.

I think probably the most important thing here is security through obscurity. Does the guy have any background with Linux? If so, any background with embedded ARM devices? There are no easily installable monitoring solutions available from the internet, and getting one running on the device would be quite involved.

Obviously, as has been stated already, physical access trumps all, but even with it, one would need a strong knowledge of Linux (and in particular, ITOS/maemo) to accomplish anything with it.

And time, too, unless it's a really strong knowledge.

A couple of thoughts:

GMail is httpsable; using http://mail.google.com redirects to a https login, which then goes http for mail access. But going to https://mail.google.com gives https clear through. Keeping the data off the device is probably better, even as secure as the N8X0s are.

VoIP or IM is good because conversations are not stored.

<rhetorical-question>Doesn't she have a father, brother, anyone who cares enough to up and tan the lousy punk's hide?
</rhetorical-question>

So i take it, she's single! Some lucky guy will take that 810 as payment for putting the beatdown on a woman beater..

I'm surprised no one has brought up the fact that because of it's size she could just keep it with her. If mine is not in my pocket then I'm not fully dressed, It charges on my nightstand when I do (sleep). If for some odd reason she is living with the abuser that should be remedied first, before you have to identify the body.

I'll briefly suggest a Palm TX. No keyboard, but built-in full file system encryption (AES) that auto-encrypts based on a timeout or power off. Set it to one minute, and with one minute of inactivity the device re-encrypts the entire file system. This would be a more than adequate level of security for this situation and does not require much in the way of diligence by the user aside from protection of the actual password.

Yes, I'd much prefer to use the Nokia for its better screen and keyboard, but hard to beat the automatic security on the Palm.