Stop Digital Violence Now: Protecting Women and Girls in Online Spaces

Victims and survivors should never be expected to carry the burden of managing the risks created by technology alone.

Women and girls should be able to participate freely and safely in online and digital spaces. Yet for millions around the world, the digital environment has become a place of intimidation, abuse and fear, where violence follows them into their homes, schools and workplaces.

Technology-facilitated violence against women and girls (TF VAWG) is a growing global crisis. Studies show that between 16 and 58 per cent of women and girls have experienced some form of online abuse or harassment. Those facing intersecting forms of discrimination — including because of age, disability or ethnicity — and women in public, political or leadership roles are disproportionately targeted.

As digital tools and platforms expand, so do the forms of violence. Women and girls are increasingly subjected to non-consensual sharing of intimate images, including manipulated content and deepfakes created using generative artificial intelligence. These abuses cause severe emotional harm, damage reputations and livelihoods, and can escalate into offline violence.

Digital platforms are also being used to spread gendered disinformation and hateful narratives that fuel extreme misogyny. Online communities linked to extremist and incel ideologies promote harmful rhetoric, reinforce violent attitudes and normalize abuse against women and girls. In some contexts, images shared online have even been used as a pretext for honour-based crimes offline, with devastating and irreversible consequences for victims and their families.

As part of the UN Secretary-General’s UNiTE campaign this year, there is a renewed call for coordinated, swift and effective police responses to all forms of digital violence against women and girls. Addressing TF VAWG is not optional — it is an urgent human rights and public safety priority.

Law enforcement agencies are often the first point of contact for victims and survivors. How police respond at this initial stage can shape whether a woman or girl feels protected or further harmed. Effective police action can prevent escalation, reduce secondary victimization and improve access to justice and support services.

Understanding the severity of TF VAWG is central to an effective response. Online threats, harassment and image-based abuse can cause long-lasting psychological trauma, fear and isolation. Digital violence should never be dismissed as “less serious” than physical violence — its impacts are real and profound.

Building on progress already made in many countries, further improvements in policing should include victim- and survivor-centred, trauma-informed and context-specific approaches. These approaches help connect women and girls to health, legal and social support services, while also offering guidance on securing their digital presence. In some countries, secure online reporting portals have already been introduced, making it safer and easier for victims to report abuse.

Victims and survivors should never be expected to carry the burden of managing the risks created by technology alone.

Judicial systems and social media platforms must also be held accountable. Police can and should use existing laws on stalking, harassment and online hate speech to respond to TF VAWG. Cooperation with digital platforms is essential to remove abusive content, preserve evidence and identify perpetrators, including those hiding behind anonymity. Where legal frameworks are weak or absent, police can draw on international norms and good practices, such as creating specialized digital violence investigation units or appointing e-safety commissioners.

Ongoing, context-specific training for police is critical. Officers and cybercrime units need the skills to recognize gender-based digital violence, respond sensitively and investigate effectively, taking into account local resources, cultures and institutional capacities.

TF VAWG is a global challenge that requires a comprehensive, multisectoral response. Police organizations are encouraged to build partnerships with technology companies, social media platforms, civil society organizations with digital expertise, and women’s rights groups. Community awareness campaigns and improved reporting mechanisms are key to prevention and early intervention.

France is currently leading State-level efforts within the High-Level Network on Gender-Responsive Policing to address and prevent technology-facilitated violence against women and girls. Twenty-two countries in the Network have committed to strengthening gender-responsive policing, preventing sexual and gender-based violence and ensuring perpetrator accountability.

“Online violence against women and girls — in all its newest forms — is rapidly escalating. We need to increase our understanding of how this violence impacts victims and survivors in order to respond more effectively,” said a representative from the French Ministry of the Interior.

Every interaction matters. Trust in law enforcement depends on whether women and girls are taken seriously, protected with dignity and privacy, and supported through the justice process — while perpetrators are held to account.

The time to act against digital abuse is now.