Last updated by Stephanie Rosser on Tuesday, November 25, 2025
Violence against women and girls affects one in three women. It is a global human rights emergency that must stop.
This year’s 16 days of activism campaign focuses on one of the fastest-growing forms of abuse: digital violence against women and girls and is also a reminder that digital safety is central to gender equality.
Technology is increasingly being used as a tool for coercive control, harassment, and abuse within intimate relationships. This includes:
Online stalking and surveillance through social media, GPS tracking, and spyware. Abusers may use spyware, GPS tracking, or access to social media accounts to monitor victims’ movements and communications. This is a form of coercive control.
Threats and intimidation digital platforms can be used to send threatening messages, share private information, or impersonate the victim. Using messaging apps or email. This can extend the abuse beyond the home, making victims feel unsafe even in digital spaces.
Image-based abuse, Sharing or threatening to share intimate images without consent is a form of digital abuse that can be used to shame or control victims. This is often part of a wider pattern of emotional and psychological abuse.
Isolation Abusers may restrict access to phones, internet, or social media, cutting victims off from support networks.
Financial abuse through control of online banking or digital accounts. Control over online banking, shopping accounts, or digital assets can be used to limit a victim’s independence.
Manipulation of Smart Devices Abusers may misuse smart home technology (e.g., cameras, thermostats, locks) to intimidate or control victims. This can make the home environment feel unsafe and unpredictable.