Women's Responses to Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence

One in ten women will experience online violence after age fifteen, a report found in 2018. This article by GenderIT.org highlights one way that women respond to that violence. In the face of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), women are changing how they engage online.

The article centers on what social scientist and legal scholar Jon Penney refers to as the “chilling effect” on speech. Because of TFGBV, some women silence themselves online. They stop posting for fear of threats and surveillance.

Women also adapt their online behavior. They may assume a male identity when posting online to provide some degree of freedom when posting. Others may perform certain gendered norms and compliance to avoid abuse. This is especially the case if male family members are monitoring their online activity. Women also respond by creating safe spaces where they can express themselves fully.

TFGBV also affects how men engage online. Fear of being targeted makes men less likely to speak out against sexism and misogyny as well.

Since the COVID-19 pandemic there has been a worldwide spike in cases of technology-facilitated gender based violence (TFGBV). The indispensability of digital technologies for social, personal, and professional interactions has put women at a heightened risk of online violence. In recent years there has been a growing awareness of the disproportionate impact technology-facilitated violence has on women.

SOURCE: GenderIT.org • AUTHOR: Amrita Vasudevan • LAST UPDATED: March 23, 2023