Gender-based violence (GBV) against women and girls in digital contexts is not a new phenomenon – but it has rapidly escalated in the shadows of the COVID-19 pandemic as women’s lives shifted online for work, education, access to services and social activities. Studies reveal a global prevalence of online and TF-GBV ranging from 16 to 58 percent, emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive interventions.
This advocacy paper sheds light on the proactive measures taken by the Action Coalitions on GBV and Technology and Innovation to combat TF-GBV, encompassing initiatives to enhance legislation and law enforcement, demonstrating online cultural change, creating enabling environments, scaling up prevention programming, providing comprehensive services for survivors, and empowering women's rights organizations. The advocacy paper also presents a detailed call to action, urging a comprehensive framework for addressing TF-GBV – entailing greater investments in evidence-based prevention, agreement on a standard definition, increased investments in research, addressing intersectionality, incorporation into laws, and urging technology companies to strengthen tools and systems for prevention, detection, response, and monitoring, with a focus on survivor-centered support and protection.
You can access the full GBV Technology Facilitated document here.