This #16DaysOfActivism, we’re talking about a form of violence that lives in our pockets: Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV).
For many of us, our phones are our lifeline for work, connection, and community. But for too many women and girls, they’ve also become spaces of fear, harassment, and abuse. From threatening messages and financial blackmail to stalking and non-consensual sharing of intimate images the digital world mirrors and amplifies the violence women face offline.
Last year, our advocacy team presented research at the global Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) Forum in South Africa. The study, “Digital Resilience: A Community-Led Strategy Against Technology-Facilitated GBV, for young girls and escorts in Kenya . The presentation gave voice to over 2,200 women in Nairobi. The findings were stark: more than 5 in 10 women had experienced online violence which often escalated into real-world harm like trauma, assault, blackmail, and even femicide. The presentation was a call to action for laws, tech companies, and communities to step up.
Why does this matter today? Because violence online doesn’t stay online. It affects mental health, safety, and freedom. And as we spend more of our lives online, our right to digital safety is non-negotiable.
What Are We Doing About It?
At BHESP, we’re building community-first safety nets. We run a 24/7 toll-free crisis hotline (📞 0800 720 186) staffed by trained responders who provide immediate support, safety planning, and referrals. We’ve also created safe digital support groups where women can warn each other about predatory individuals and share resources.
We’re inspired by initiatives like GRIT in South Africa, which uses an AI-powered Chabot to provide survivors with instant information and support. Technology that causes harm can also be part of the solution; if designed with women’s safety in mind.
This Is Everyone’s Fight.
Ending TFGBV requires all of us:
For tech platforms: Be transparent. Improve reporting. Work with local organization’s.
For policymakers: Update laws to recognize digital violence. Fund survivor services.
For each of us: Stay safe, whistle blow, Believe survivors. Call out abuse. Share resources.
You can start today:
Share this post to spread awareness.
Save our hotline number: 0800 720 186.Talk about digital safety in your circles.
Support organizations’ building solutions.
Let’s make our digital world as safe as our homes deserve to be. Because every woman deserves to live and connect—without fear.
