Security | Threat Detection | Cyberattacks | DevSecOps | Compliance

Gender based violence does not begin with technology, but technology has become one of the easiest tools for it to grow. Misogyny, entitlement and harmful gendered beliefs shape how abusers use digital platforms, devices and online spaces to control, shame or silence women and people of marginalised genders. To tackle cyber abuse effectively, we cannot focus only on the technology. We also need to challenge the attitudes and norms that fuel the harm.

Online abuse is now a major part of gender based violence. Many survivors experience harassment, stalking, threats or image based abuse through social media, messaging apps and other digital platforms. The UK’s Online Safety Act 2023 has created new rules for platforms, but real change only happens when survivor services, tech companies and the public all play their part.

For many survivors of gender based violence, abuse continues long after physical contact ends. It can follow them into their devices, accounts and online spaces, creating a sense of being watched, monitored or controlled. These digital harms are often confusing and hard to identify, and survivors are frequently told to simply “change their passwords” or “turn off social media.”

Technology is part of everyday life, offering connection and convenience. For many women and girls experiencing gender based violence in the UK, that same technology is increasingly used as a tool of control, surveillance and harm. Understanding how this abuse works is essential for safeguarding and accountability.