In the modern era, the digital landscape has transformed from a frontier of opportunity into a complex battlefield where the safety of women and girls is increasingly under siege. Technology-facilitated violence against women and girls (TF VAWG) is no longer a niche concern or a secondary byproduct of the internet; it is a pervasive global crisis. Current data suggests that the prevalence of online gender-based violence ranges from 16 to as high as 58 per cent, a staggering statistic that reflects a systemic failure to protect vulnerable populations in digital spaces. While the internet offers a platform for connection and advocacy, it has also become a weaponized environment where harassment, stalking, and abuse are executed with alarming precision and scale.
The burden of this violence is not distributed equally. Women and girls who exist at the intersections of multiple forms of discrimination—those living with disabilities, members of ethnic minority groups, and younger women—face a disproportionate level of aggression. Furthermore, women in public and political life are frequently targeted with coordinated attacks designed to silence their voices and drive them out of the public square. This digital onslaught serves as a modern mechanism of exclusion, ensuring that the spaces where power is wielded and culture is shaped remain hostile to women.
The tools of this violence are evolving alongside technological innovation. The rapid proliferation of generative artificial intelligence has introduced new and deeply disturbing forms of abuse. Non-consensual intimate image-sharing, once limited to the distribution of existing photographs, has been supercharged by the advent of "deepfakes." These AI-generated images and videos can place a woman’s likeness into explicit or compromising scenarios without her consent, creating a form of digital violation that is both difficult to erase and devastatingly realistic. This is not merely a technical issue; it is a fundamental violation of bodily autonomy and dignity, facilitated by the very tools that claim to represent the future of human creativity.
Beyond individual attacks, digital platforms are being exploited to disseminate gendered disinformation. This is not just about "fake news"; it is a calculated strategy to undermine the credibility of women through sexist tropes and malicious falsehoods. This environment fuels extreme misogyny, often incubated within predominantly male extremist communities and "incel" (involuntary celibate) groups. These digital subcultures act as echo chambers, reinforcing harmful rhetoric and normalizing violent behavior. The danger, however, does not remain confined to the screen. There is a direct and documented pipeline from online radicalization to offline harm. In communities where rigid codes of family and community "honour" are prevalent, images or rumors posted online can serve as the catalyst for honour-based crimes in the physical world. For many women, a single post can lead to a lifetime of consequences, or in the most tragic cases, the loss of life itself.
In response to this escalating threat, the United Nations’ UNiTE campaign is prioritizing a call for a coordinated, swift, and effective police response. The urgency of this matter cannot be overstated. As the first line of defense in the justice system, law enforcement agencies hold the power to either protect victims or inadvertently exacerbate their trauma. For many survivors, the initial contact with a police officer is the most critical moment in their journey toward justice. If a woman’s complaint is met with skepticism, technical illiteracy, or dismissal, she is far less likely to pursue further legal action. This "secondary victimization" occurs when the system intended to protect the victim instead makes her feel responsible for her own abuse or suggests that online violence is "not real" because it happened behind a screen.
To bridge this gap, a fundamental shift in policing philosophy is required. Understanding the severity of TF VAWG is the first step. An online threat or a campaign of digital harassment is not a minor inconvenience; it can cause prolonged psychological distress, anxiety, and a total loss of personal security. Law enforcement must move toward a victim-centered, trauma-informed, and context-led approach. This means recognizing that a woman reporting a deepfake or a stalking campaign needs more than just a police report; she needs a holistic support system that connects her with health, legal, and social services. It also requires practical guidance on how to secure her digital presence and reclaim her privacy.
Some nations are already leading the way by implementing secure online reporting portals. These platforms allow survivors to report incidents discreetly and efficiently, reducing the barriers to seeking help. However, the responsibility should never rest solely on the victim. Victims and survivors should never have to assume the burden of responding to the risks created by technological tools that they did not design and cannot control.
Accountability must extend to the architects of the digital world. Judicial systems and social media platforms must be held to a higher standard of responsibility. While many countries are still catching up in terms of legislation, police can and should use existing laws—such as those governing stalking, harassment, and hate speech—to pursue perpetrators of digital violence. There is also a growing need for law enforcement to engage directly with digital platforms to demand the removal of abusive content and the identification of perpetrators, especially those hiding behind the veil of anonymity. In jurisdictions where specific TF VAWG laws are lacking, police are encouraged to look toward international norms and established best practices. This includes the creation of specialized digital violence units or the appointment of e-safety Commissioners who can bridge the gap between technology and the law.
The evolution of these crimes demands a parallel evolution in training. Police organizations need ongoing, flexible training that accounts for the specific cultural and technological realities of their jurisdictions. It is no longer enough for cybercrime units to focus solely on financial fraud or data breaches; they must be trained to recognize the gendered nature of digital violence and respond with the necessary sensitivity and urgency.
Because TF VAWG is a global problem, it requires a multisectoral response. Isolation is the enemy of progress. Police organizations must seek partnerships with the private sector, including tech giants and social media companies, as well as non-governmental organizations and women’s rights groups. These collaborations are essential for developing prevention-based digital safety measures and for raising community awareness. When a community understands the signs of digital abuse and knows how to report it, early intervention becomes possible.
International leadership is already emerging. France is currently at the forefront of state-led efforts within the High-Level Network on Gender-Responsive Policing. This network, which includes 22 countries such as Albania, Austria, Brazil, Chile, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Niger, Peru, Romania, Rwanda, Senegal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Uruguay, has committed to a bold agenda. These nations are focused on strengthening institutions to prevent and respond to all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, ensuring that perpetrators are held accountable regardless of whether the crime occurred in an alleyway or a chat room.
A representative from the French Ministry of the Interior recently highlighted the stakes of this mission, stating, “Online violence against women and girls—in all its newest forms—is rapidly escalating. We need to increase our understanding and knowledge of how this violence can impact victims and survivors in order to respond more effectively.”
The core principle of modern criminology is that every contact leaves a trace. In the digital age, this is more true than ever. However, the most important "trace" left behind should be the evidence of a justice system that took a woman’s fear seriously. Positive engagement with law enforcement depends entirely on the ability of officers to investigate digital crimes with the same rigor as physical ones, ensuring the immediate safety, dignity, and privacy of the survivor.
The time for treating online abuse as a secondary concern is over. The digital world is the real world, and the violence that occurs within it has real-world consequences. By transforming how the global community polices the digital frontier, we can move closer to a future where women and girls can navigate the internet without fear, and where technology serves as a tool for empowerment rather than a weapon of destruction. Let’s act to stop digital abuse now.
