The digital frontier, once heralded as a transformative space for democratic participation and global connectivity, has reached a perilous crossroads for women who lead, report, and advocate. A groundbreaking report released today in Geneva reveals a “tipping point” in the escalation of technology-facilitated violence, documenting a terrifying reality where digital harassment is no longer confined to the screen but is increasingly manifesting as physical harm. According to the study, titled “Tipping point: The chilling escalation of violence against women in the public sphere,” seven in ten women human rights defenders, activists, and journalists have experienced online violence in the course of their professional duties. Perhaps most alarming is the finding that for many, the vitriol follows them home; 41 percent of all respondents reported experiencing offline harm directly linked to the abuse they first encountered in digital spaces.
This comprehensive research was produced by UN Women’s ACT to End Violence against Women programme, an initiative supported by the European Commission. The findings are the result of a high-level partnership between researchers from TheNerve—the digital forensics lab founded by Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa—City St George’s, University of London, and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), in collaboration with UNESCO. The data paints a picture of a global crisis that threatens to systematically dismantle the progress made by women in public life, effectively weaponizing technology to silence voices that challenge the status quo.
The report highlights a particularly devastating trend for women in the media. For journalists, the bridge between online threats and physical danger has become more frequent and more lethal. In a 2020 global survey published by UNESCO, 20 percent of women journalists reported that offline attacks or physical abuse they suffered were preceded by online violence. By 2025, that figure has more than doubled. The new survey indicates that 42 percent of women journalists and media workers now identify a direct trajectory from digital harassment to real-world harm. This surge suggests that the tactics of intimidation used by state and non-state actors have evolved, moving beyond mere insults to coordinated campaigns intended to physically endanger those who report the news.
Sarah Hendricks, Director of the Policy, Programme and Intergovernmental Division at UN Women, emphasized the gravity of these findings, noting that the distinction between the “virtual” and the “real” has effectively vanished. Hendricks pointed out that the abuse is a calculated tool of suppression. These attacks are specifically designed to shame and silence women who speak up for human rights or lead social movements. By pushing women out of public debate through intimidation, these actors are not just attacking individuals; they are undermining the very foundations of democracy and freedom of expression. Hendricks warned that when online attacks end at a woman’s front door, the global community cannot afford to remain passive.
The rise of generative artificial intelligence has added a sophisticated and sinister layer to this landscape of abuse. The report finds that nearly one in four surveyed women in public roles have experienced AI-assisted online violence. This includes the creation of non-consensual deepfake imagery, manipulated audio, and automated bot campaigns designed to overwhelm a target’s digital presence. For writers and public communicators, such as social media influencers and content creators who focus on human rights issues, the exposure is even higher, with 30 percent reporting AI-fueled attacks. These technologies allow harassers to create highly personal, sexualized, and damaging content at a scale and speed previously unimaginable, making the psychological and professional toll nearly unbearable for the victims.
Professor Julie Posetti, the lead researcher and Director of TheNerve’s Information Integrity Initiative, described the current environment as one defined by AI-fueled abuse and rising authoritarianism. She noted that the doubling of offline harm incidents since 2020 is a “dangerous and potentially deadly trajectory.” The data suggests that as political climates become more polarized and authoritarian regimes increasingly use digital tools to consolidate power, women journalists and activists are being targeted as the “canaries in the coal mine” for broader crackdowns on civil society.
The release of the “Tipping Point” report coincides with the conclusion of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, a global campaign that this year focused heavily on the digital dimension of safety. The campaign has served as a rallying cry for stronger international laws and national policies that recognize technology-facilitated violence not as a secondary concern, but as a fundamental human rights violation. Advocacy groups are calling for robust regulation of tech companies, demanding that platforms be held accountable for the algorithms that often amplify hate speech and harassment for the sake of engagement.
In response to these findings, UN Women is launching a new corporate strategy specifically designed to prevent and eliminate technology-facilitated violence against women and girls. This strategy aims to bridge the gap between policy and practice by focusing on four key pillars: strengthening accountability for perpetrators and platforms, closing the massive gaps in evidence and data, accelerating survivor-centered response mechanisms, and building resilience within women’s rights movements. By amplifying the voices of women leaders and providing them with the tools to navigate a hostile digital landscape, the strategy seeks to ensure that the internet remains a viable space for advocacy rather than a tool for exclusion.
The ACT (Advocacy, Coalition Building and Transformative Feminist Action) programme, which spearheaded the report, represents a significant collaboration between the European Commission and UN Women. As co-leaders of the Action Coalition on Gender-Based Violence, they work in tandem with the UN Trust Fund to End Violence against Women to elevate feminist priorities on the global stage. Their work is built on the belief that gender equality is not a localized issue but a global imperative that requires a unified, collaborative framework.
The role of TheNerve’s Information Integrity Initiative is also central to this effort. Anchored by the expertise of Maria Ressa, the initiative focuses on the intersection of gender, disinformation, and freedom of expression. Their digital forensics work reveals how disinformation campaigns are frequently gendered—using sexist tropes and sexualized narratives to discredit women experts and leaders. This type of “gendered disinformation” is a primary tactic used to erode the credibility of women in the public eye, making it harder for them to maintain professional standing and personal safety.
As the report concludes, the stakes could not be higher. If the current trends of online and offline violence continue unchecked, the “chilling effect” will become a permanent freeze, driving women out of digital spaces and, by extension, out of public life. This exclusion would result in a significant loss of diverse perspectives in journalism, policy-making, and human rights advocacy. The report serves as both a warning and a call to action: without immediate intervention from governments, tech giants, and international bodies, the digital age may be remembered not for the voices it empowered, but for the voices it allowed to be silenced.
UN Women remains committed to keeping the rights of women and girls at the center of global progress. As the lead UN entity on gender equality, the organization continues to push for shifts in laws, social behaviors, and institutional services to close the gender gap. In an era where the public sphere is increasingly digital, the fight for women’s rights must now be fought on servers and in code as much as it is in the streets. The “Tipping Point” report provides the data necessary to inform evidence-based policy, but the path forward requires a global shift in how society values and protects the digital lives of women.
