As we approach International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November), it’s vital to recognize not only the traditional forms of gender-based violence — such as intimate partner violence (IPV) and femicide — but also a rapidly growing and insidious form: digital violence. In the digital era, technology is becoming a new battleground for abuse, control, and exploitation, especially against women and girls.
The Broad Landscape of Violence Against Women
Violence against women remains a global crisis. According to the United Nations, intimate partner violence and other forms of gender-based violence affect hundreds of millions of women around the world. Despite progress in legal protections and advocacy, many survivors still struggle to access help, and the consequences of abuse are profound – impacting physical health, mental health, economic security, and human rights.
Yet as we grapple with these long-established forms of IPV and physical abuse, it’s increasingly clear that violence is not confined to homes or physical spaces. Rather, abusers are using digital tools to extend their reach.
What Is Digital Violence?
Digital violence, also known as technology-facilitated gender-based violence, refers to abusive actions carried out through digital platforms or tools. These include:
- Online harassment and cyberstalking
- Non-consensual sharing of intimate images (“revenge porn”)
- Deepfake pornography and threats to create or distribute manipulated content
- GPS tracking, spyware, and forced access to devices or accounts
- Grooming of minors online and the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM)
The UN Women Knowledge Portal estimates that between 16% and 58% of women globally have experienced some form of technology-facilitated violence (UN Women, “FAQs: Digital abuse …”). These numbers suggest that digital violence is widespread and deeply gendered.
Why Digital Violence Is Particularly Dangerous
There are several features of digital violence that make it uniquely harmful:
- Persistence: Once posted, images or messages can be copied, shared, and archived indefinitely, making abuse difficult to erase.
- Anonymity: Perpetrators can hide behind fake profiles or encrypted platforms, making it hard for survivors to identify or hold them accountable.
- Unrelenting Access: Digital harassment can reach victims at any time – day or night – making it difficult to escape.
- Amplification: Abusers can mobilize networks to harass or shame victims publicly.
- Legal Complexity: Jurisdictional challenges make it hard to prosecute cross-border digital crimes.
- Child Exploitation: Technology enables rapid grooming and global dissemination of abusive content, putting children, especially girls, at enormous risk.
Because of these characteristics, digital violence uniquely magnifies the power dynamics already present in traditional gender-based abuse.
How Digital Violence Intersects with Intimate Partner Violence
Digital abuse often overlaps with or reinforces patterns of intimate partner violence:
- Abusive partners may use spyware or remote access to monitor their partner’s communications, track movements, or isolate them from social support.
- Threats to share intimate photos or videos can be used as a tool of coercion and control, escalating psychological abuse.
- Online humiliation, doxxing, or public shaming can deepen emotional harm.
In other words, digital violence is not separate from IPV — it is a modern tool of coercive control and exploitation.
The Global Toll: Digital Violence by the Numbers
- As noted, UN Women estimates that 16–58% of women experience technology-facilitated violence (UN Women, “FAQs …”).
- The WeProtect Global Alliance reports alarming increases in child sexual exploitation and abuse online. Some data suggest that up to 20% of children have experienced online sexual exploitation or abuse in a recent year (WeProtect, Global Threat Assessment).
- Research also shows that image-based abuse is particularly harmful: in a survey of nearly 4,000 women across 14 geographic regions, non-consensual sharing of sexual images ranked among the most harmful forms of online harassment (Im et al., 2023).
These figures underline that digital violence isn’t a fringe issue — it affects women, girls, and vulnerable populations globally.
Legal & Policy Gaps: Why Many Survivors Are Left Behind
Despite its prevalence, many countries lack robust legal protections against tech-enabled abuse:
- In some jurisdictions, there are no specific laws criminalizing image-based abuse, deepfakes, or digital stalking.
- Even where laws exist, cross-border prosecutions remain difficult due to jurisdictional challenges.
- Technology platforms are often slow or ineffective in responding to reports: takedowns may be delayed, and reporting tools may not be survivor-centric.
Without stronger policy frameworks and international cooperation, the persistent scale of digital violence will continue to put survivors at risk.
What Can Be Done: Action Steps for the Digital Age
To address digital violence effectively, we must act on multiple fronts:
- Strengthen Legislation: Governments must enact and enforce laws that explicitly target tech-enabled abuse, including deepfakes and surveillance-based coercion.
- Platform Accountability: Social media platforms, messaging services, and app developers should implement rapid takedown mechanisms, better content moderation, and user-friendly abuse reporting systems.
- International Cooperation: Cross-border law enforcement and judicial collaboration are essential to respond to digital crimes that transcend national boundaries.
- Digital Safety Education: Schools, community organizations, and service providers should teach digital literacy, privacy skills, and how to recognize and respond to tech-facilitated abuse.
- Survivor Support Services: Counselling, legal aid, and digital forensics support should be made accessible to survivors of digital violence.
- Preventing Child Exploitation: Invest in prevention programs, online safety education, and specialized support for children at risk of grooming or exploitation.
Remembering December 6: Canada’s National Day of Remembrance & Action
In Canada, December 6 is observed as the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women, marking the anniversary of the 1989 Montréal massacre, when 14 women were killed at École Polytechnique simply because of their gender (Government of Canada, National Day of Remembrance). This day is a solemn reminder of the lethal consequences of misogyny and a national call to action to end violence against women in all its forms, including digital abuse (Government of Canada, National Day of Remembrance, 2025).
Final Thoughts
As we mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women on November 25, it is crucial to expand our understanding of what violence can look like in the modern world. Digital violence is not a “lesser” form of harm — it’s a powerful and deeply damaging extension of the same abuses that have plagued women for generations.
We must commit to prevention, protection, and justice in both the physical and digital realms. Only then can we hope to build a safer, more equitable world.
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If you or someone you know has experienced digital violence, intimate partner violence, abuse, or harassment, our experienced counsellors at Trauma and Stress Counselling are here to help. We offer compassionate, evidence-based support to help you navigate the impact of abuse, understand your rights, and access the resources you need for safety and healing. Whether you are seeking counselling, guidance, or referrals to appropriate services, we are committed to walking alongside you with care and expertise. You do not have to face this alone.
