Are we prepared to combat online gender-based violence ?

Shobha Shukla– CNS
Contd from previous issue
“Indonesia is experiencing a surge in cases of online gender-based violence since the last few years. A report from the National Commission on Women states that cases of online gender-based violence have risen by 300% since 2021. The Woman National Commission Annual Records 2021 showed that online gender-based violence during the pandemic era had increased manifold - from 241 cases in 2019 to 940 cases in 2020,” said Rita Widiadana, former Editor of The Jakarta Post, and Board member of Global AMR Media Alliance (GAMA) and Asia Pacific Media Alliance for Health and Development.
The National Commission and the Indonesian Press Council stated that women journalists in Indonesia face a high risk of experiencing both offline and online gender-based violence while carrying out their journalistic duties, said Rita.
Rita shared that Indonesia has implemented a number of programmes to protect girls and women against online violence such as SafeNet Programme; Perempuan Aman Internetan (How to use Internet safely for women); Respect (UN Women, WHO, UNFPA, and other partners); among others. The Indonesian government has also enacted laws which guarantee the right to protect personal data. But there are no clauses in this law that specifically protect survivors of sexual violence in cyberspace. Rita called upon revising this law so that survivors of online gender-based violence can receive full protection against cyber criminals.
Xari Jalil, a senior journalist and Editor of VoicePK (prominent digital media for human rights in Pakistan) said that women journalists are facing offline and online violence even within the media houses. “Most women have been targeted by some form of online gender-based violence whether it is revenge porn, or other forms,” said Xari. She shared a case study of a “woman who was victim of revenge porn and killed herself leaving her children behind” - another grim reminder of serious consequences of virtual violence.
Online attack against gender diverse peoples in Timor-Leste
Cyber-bullying and harassment is on the rise in Timor-Leste for girls, women and LGBTQIAP+ peoples, said Zevonia Vieira, Chief Editor of Neon Metin Media and President of Association of Journalists of Timor-Leste. She stressed upon the need for better digital security training and the campaign against a draft cybercrime law in her country, which she believes is more aligned with political interests rather than protecting people's rights.
What do the youth say?
Bangladesh enacted a law in early 2000s to address online violence against women and girls but it was not enough. Cyber Security Act (CSA) which was being discussed recently also became more of a political instrument, said SM Shaikat of SERAC-Bangladesh. “We have to look at these laws in a different way: is it working for those more at risk of online violence among women, girls, gender diverse peoples, and others?”
Tanya Khera of Samanta Foundation in Uttarakhand state of India shared the data from National Crime Records Bureau: “50,035 cases were registered in 2020 for cybercrime. In 2022, the number of such cases went up to over 66000 (30% increase). Among the motives behind such cases of cybercrime, the biggest one was sexual exploitation.”
Joshua Dilawar who leads Y-PEER Pakistan and is a peer youth leader for gender equality, stressed upon the need for male engagement in helping combat online violence. He shared about a transgender woman who is contesting national assembly elections and has faced a barrage of online harassment, bullying, hatred, and doxing.
Indigenous and gender diverse peoples more vulnerable
Matcha Phorn-In, who is a feminist leader and a force for change on gender equality, indigenous rights and human rights, and leads Sangsan Anakot Yawachon in Thailand, said that “during the pandemic, students were forced to use online tools for education without necessary safeguards to protect them against online violence and abuse. For indigenous peoples the challenge has gone up manifold as they are still fiercely struggling to get justice in terms of sexual orientation, gender identity and expression. They have many levels of vulnerability that also puts them at heightened risk of online violence and abuse.”
Matcha is right: All forms of gender-based violence (including online and technology-facilitated ones), are deeply rooted in discriminatory social norms and gender inequality. They intersect with racism, homophobia, transphobia, ableism and other discriminatory systems prevalent in our patriarchal societies and all of them have harmful consequences.
The way forward
Technology- based and technology-facilitated online gender-based violence is certainly preventable. But prevention efforts must be suitably tailored and directed at all levels to end online violence.
To be contd