Cyber Violence as Violence against Women and Girls: Taking a Step Forward for Female Inclusion in the Digital Era

Abstract

Violence against women and girls is one of the most prevailing violations of human rights ultimately leading to disrespectful and discriminatory behaviors as well as social inequalities and societal consequences for victims’ life. Over the last couple of decades, the greater accessibility of the internet and digital platforms enabled information and communication technologies along with social networking sites to develop and spread tremendously (Backe, Lilleston and McCleary-Sills, 2018). The greater flow of one’s private information circulating in the digital environment, mostly using social media, coupled with the existing pandemic of violence against women and girls resulted into the rising phenomenon of cyber violence against women and girls. Backe et al. (2018) defines the concept of cyber violence as an array of harms and abuses facilitated by and perpetrated through digital technological means which encapsulates cyber harassment, cyberstalking, online hate speech, non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit media, cyber dating abuse and other forms of violent behaviors that are the product of new communication technologies. Borrajo, Calvete and Gámez-Guadix (2015) claim that information and communication technology do have facilitated the development of new social environments on one hand, whereas on the other, it also spread the fear that communication-enabled devices can be used as tools to intimidate, harass, offend and control the victim. In 2014, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights conducted a research which shows that women and girls are commonly targeted and victimized by perpetrators. More specifically, one woman out of three has been a victim of violence committed by an intimate partner or a stranger. However, the lack of detailed data on the psychological and economic impact that cyber violence behaviors have on the victims urges a more comprehensive and strict approach by states and the international community to safeguard women and girls from perpetrators of violence as well as ceasing gender inequalities in the light of the United Nations 2030 sustainable development agenda.