The promise of the digital age was once rooted in the democratization of information and the empowerment of marginalized voices, yet for millions of women and girls, the internet has become a sophisticated battlefield. Despite decades of tireless advocacy and the implementation of international legal frameworks, the scourge of gender-based violence has not merely persisted; it has migrated and mutated. Today, the global community faces a dual crisis: the enduring reality of physical abuse and a rapidly escalating wave of digital violence that threatens to reverse the hard-won gains of the feminist movement. As the UNiTE campaign launches its latest call to action, the message is clear: the digital world can no longer remain a lawless frontier where misogyny is automated and accountability is optional.
The scale of the crisis is staggering. Statistics reveal that approximately 245 million women and girls aged 15 and older continue to experience physical or sexual violence at the hands of intimate partners every year. This baseline of physical trauma is now being compounded by a digital epidemic. Recent studies indicate that up to 58 percent of women and 20 percent of girls have encountered some form of digital violence. However, experts warn that these figures likely represent only the tip of the iceberg, as the true extent of online abuse remains chronically under-reported due to social stigma, lack of faith in legal systems, and the psychological exhaustion of the victims.
This is not a matter of “hurt feelings” or “online drama.” The consequences of digital violence are far-reaching and systemic. It erodes trust in information systems and acts as a catalyst for the spread of hate speech, social polarization, and anti-rights backlash. Perhaps most concerning is the documented link between online misogyny and violent extremism. The digital space has become a recruitment ground where radicalization often begins with the dehumanization of women, creating a pipeline that leads from keyboard harassment to real-world devastation.
The advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has added a terrifying new dimension to this conflict. AI tools are being weaponized to amplify existing patterns of abuse and create entirely new forms of exploitation. We are witnessing the rise of image-based sexual abuse, where coordinated online harassment campaigns use deepfakes to humiliate and silence women. The data is chilling: between 90 and 95 percent of all deepfakes currently circulating online are non-consensual sexualized images of women. This is not a technological byproduct; it is a targeted assault on female dignity. Furthermore, the exploitation of children is reaching a breaking point, with verified AI-generated child sexual abuse material seeing a horrific 380 percent increase in 2024 compared to the previous year.
The borderless nature of the internet means that digital violence knows no geographic or social limits. It permeates every facet of life, from the classroom and the workplace to the sanctuary of the home. It follows women into refugee camps and humanitarian crisis zones, where the lack of infrastructure often makes them even more vulnerable to predators who hide behind the veil of digital anonymity. The impact of these actions is never “just virtual.” The psychological, social, and economic harm is visceral and lasting. In many documented cases, online harassment serves as a precursor to physical stalking, sexual assault, and the ultimate tragedy of femicide.
Women in public life—journalists, politicians, activists, and human rights defenders—are particularly high-value targets for digital attackers. For these women, the internet is a professional necessity, yet it is also where they face a barrage of rape threats, doxxing, and character assassination. The goal of these attacks is clear: to drive women out of the public square and deter their participation in democratic processes. When a female journalist is harassed into silence or a woman politician resigns to protect her family from online mobs, democracy itself suffers. The voices of women are essential for leadership, peace processes, and decision-making; to lose them to digital violence is to lose the perspective of half the global population.
The risk is not distributed equally. Women who live at the intersection of multiple forms of discrimination face a disproportionate level of digital vitriol. Women of color, women with disabilities, rural women, and members of the LGBTQ+ community are targeted with a specific intensity that combines misogyny with racism, ableism, and homophobia. These groups are also at a higher risk of digital economic exploitation, where their identities are hijacked for fraudulent purposes or their professional reputations are systematically dismantled by algorithmic bias.
Central to this rising tide of hate is the growth of the so-called “manosphere.” This sprawling ecosystem of websites, forums, and social media influencers glorifies a brand of toxic masculinity that justifies and encourages violence against women. These spaces often target boys and young men, grooming them into a worldview where gender equality is framed as a zero-sum game. By entrenching harmful norms, the manosphere fuels the very behaviors that lead to real-world harm. Addressing this requires a cultural shift where men and boys are engaged as allies. Long-term change depends on challenging these harmful online behaviors from within and promoting a culture of digital respect and empathy.
Despite the urgency, the global policy response has been sluggish. Chronic underfunding and structural inequalities continue to hamper progress. Currently, less than half of the countries in the world have enacted specific laws to address online abuse. Even in jurisdictions where legislation exists, enforcement is often toothless. Police departments frequently lack the training or resources to investigate digital crimes, and judicial systems are often ill-equipped to handle the complexities of technology-facilitated violence. Furthermore, the rapid development of AI has outpaced regulation, leaving a vacuum where human rights principles are frequently sacrificed in the name of innovation.
However, there are glimmers of hope driven by the tireless work of feminist advocates. Women-led organizations have been at the forefront of the battle to have digital violence recognized as a fundamental violation of human rights. Their advocacy has propelled international and regional action, prompting 117 countries to adopt targeted measures to protect women and girls online. These victories prove that when the global community unites, the trajectory of technology can be changed.
The responsibility for a safer digital future does not rest solely on the shoulders of governments or activists. Technology companies hold the keys to the kingdom. For too long, platforms have prioritized engagement and profit over user safety. Tech giants have a moral and social obligation to create equitable spaces. This means moving beyond reactive moderation—which often fails to catch harmful content until after the damage is done—and toward a philosophy of “Safety by Design.” Digital platforms must be built with protective features integrated into their core architecture, ensuring that reporting mechanisms are accessible, accountability is transparent, and harmful content is blocked at the source.
As we look toward the future, the UNiTE campaign calls for a multi-sectoral revolution. Governments must bridge the legislative gap by passing and enforcing robust laws that treat digital violence with the same severity as physical assault. Civil society must continue to hold both the state and the private sector accountable. Technology companies must prioritize the ethical development of AI and ensure that their platforms are not used as tools of oppression.
The fight to end digital violence is not just a “women’s issue”—it is a human rights imperative. Reclaiming digital and physical spaces for equality, freedom, and justice is the only way to ensure a sustainable future for everyone. We must UNiTE to dismantle the systems of power that allow online abusers to act with impunity. The digital world was meant to connect us; it is time we ensure it no longer serves as a weapon to divide, silence, and destroy the lives of women and girls everywhere. The time for calls to action has passed; the time for systemic, unyielding change is now.
