Digital platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, X and Reddit are forums for public and private expression and social interaction, and they provide many other useful services. However, the online space is not always welcoming to everyone. In an environment of pseudo-anonymity and limited accountability, pervasive exclusionary and harmful narratives are often unleashed. Spreading virally, these practices are categorised as cyber violence and can have significant emotional and physical impacts on human lives.
While cyber violence practices and behaviours can affect anyone, women and girls are more likely to be the targets of this form of violence and, as a result, they experience significant physical, sexual and psychological distress and/or financial difficulties. Incidents of cyber harassment, cyber stalking, coercive control, hate speech and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images tend to spill over into the physical environment, causing severe distress.
Cyber violence against women and girls (CVAWG) occurs as part of the broader continuum of gender-based violence (GBV), which is embedded in persisting unbalanced power structures. This brief by the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) aims to support digital and social media platforms by providing evidence-based actionable recommendations on how to strengthen their policies and practices to combat CVAWG.
