No one should have to live in fear just for existing online. The digital world should be a safe space for everyone.
Online harm is when an act of violence is committed, assisted, or aggravated using information and communication technology (mobile phones, the Internet, social media, and video games). Online harm, or technology facilitated gender-based violence, is an increasing form of violence against women.
Women in politics, business, community leaders, journalists, activists, and other public figures are targeted with frequent and personal abuse, often simply because they are women.
But online harm can impact anyone and can take an extreme mental, physical, and psychological toll on an individual, including affecting their sense of safety, privacy, and security.
Many women change how they use social media and other online spaces, or stop using them altogether, because of the risks to their safety, the safety of their family and community, and their reputation.
Online harm has a silencing effect on women and can impact their career, limit opportunities, reduce their participation in democratic processes and in leadership roles, and make them hesitant to have a public voice online.
There are many forms of online harm:
- Cyber-bullying and harassment.
- Hate crime, discrimination, and threats based on characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation, disability, or other personal attributes.
- Image based abuse, including digitally altered material like deep fakes.
- Doxxing (the public release of private or identifying information about the victim).
Netsafe have a comprehensive list of the different forms of online harm on their website.
In New Zealand, the Harmful Digital Communications Act 2015 is in place to tackle the different ways that technology is used to harm others. There are civil justice processes in place to support people experiencing this form of harm.
The free to lead toolkit is available to support women with a public profile, or those who use social media or other online spaces as part of their mahi, and their employers, gain practical tools and strategies to act against instances of online harm.
Find out more about the key data and research about online harm.
Find out more about the work underway to support those experiencing violence in New Zealand.