Gazbiah Sans
Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) is preventable, yet remains pervasive. Unfortunately, SGBV encountered in real life has migrated online as Technology-Facilitated Gender Based Violence (TFGBV). While expressed differently, both forms are rooted in extreme misogyny and reinforce each other, with digital technology exacerbating both online and offline violence. TFGBV mirrors and accelerates SGBV by violently weaponising digital technology and creating enabling conditions for violent extremism to thrive.
Moreover, TFGBV has become a precursor for recruitment and is linked to (youth) radicalisation, leading to incidents of real-world abuse and violent extremism. This ebb and flow between online and offline violence perpetrated against women, girls and LGBTQI+ individuals, coupled with digital technology, demands urgent action from tech platforms. Approaching SGBV and TFGBV as separate acts, rather than an intertwined phenomenon, neglects the dual nature of the problem. Addressing TFGBV also means tackling SGBV and violent extremism simultaneously. This Insight examines these dynamics and offers recommendations to prevent TFGBV, SGBV, and violent extremism – enabling a safe(r) digital environment.
How Digital Technology Can Fuel TFGBV, SGBV and Violent Extremism
TFGBV is rampant on mainstream social media platforms, and global and regional estimates of TFGBV rates remain high. For example, a survey conducted across 45 countries by the Economist Intelligence Unit highlights 38% of women “report[ing] personal experiences with online violence.” Furthermore, 85% of women “reported witnessing online violence against other women (including from outside their networks).” The harms of TFGBV are underestimated and the prevalence of TFGBV is under-scrutinised, particularly in the context of misogynistic behaviours, violent extremism and terrorism. This is further compounded by a lack of standardised definition for TFGBV, a narrow understanding of harms associated and linked to SGBV and terrorism, inadequate policy responses, and limited knowledge and understanding about TFGBV.
No comments:
Post a Comment