There is #NoExcuse for online abuse
Online and digital spaces should empower women and girls. Yet every day, for millions of women and girls, the digital world has become a minefield of harassment, abuse, and control.
What can start small, on screens – a message, a comment, or a post – can quickly spiral into a torrent of threats and violence in real life. Private photos are stolen without consent. Lies spread in a matter of seconds. Locations are tracked. AI is weaponized to create deepfakes designed to shame and silence women.
This 16 Days of Activism (25 November – 10 December) join us as we rally for a world where technology is a force for equality – not harm.
Behind every statistic are real women and girls
Journalists who stop writing after death threats, activists who delete their accounts to protect their families, girls who lose confidence before they’ve even found their voices, women who are stalked, raped, or even killed. The harm may happen online, but its impact is painfully real, seeping into homes, workplaces, and communities. And it’s happening at a time when sweeping aid cuts are forcing women’s organizations around the world to shut down or drastically scale back programmes to end violence against women.
Misogynistic content in the manosphere is fuelling the abuse and spreading disinformation and hate. When these toxic ideas go viral, they shape how entire generations see and treat women and girls.
Inequality in access and power over technology also deepens the risks for some women and girls, especially those in rural and low-income communities.
What needs to happen now and how to take action
- Hold perpetrators accountable through better laws and enforcement.
- Make tech companies step up by hiring more women to create safer online spaces, removing harmful content quickly, and responding to reports of abuse.
- Support survivors with real resources by funding women’s rights organizations and movements.
- Invest in prevention and culture change through digital literacy and online safety training for women and girls and programmes that challenge toxic online cultures. It’s time to reclaim our digital spaces and demand a future where technology powers equality.
Online safety 101: What every woman and girl should know
Dive into our explainer to find everything you need to know about staying safe online.
Learn to spot the signs of abuse in your feed and how to shield yourself from digital abuse.
Explore our global list of helplines and resources, and learn what your rights are in the digital world.
How AI is amplifying violence against women and what can stop it
AI is fuelling new forms digital violence and being weaponized against women and girls everywhere.
Take tips from our experts Laura Bates and Paola Gálvez-Callirgos on how we can reclaim digital spaces to make them safer.
UN Women’s work on digital safety
Help us take action NOW!
Every day, millions of women and girls are harmed online.
Your gift helps UN Women support safe online programmes, advocate for laws, and empower women and girls to reclaim digital spaces. Every donation matters, make yours count today.
