According to the United Nations (UN), violence against women and girls remains one of the most prevalent and pervasive human rights violations in the world.
This year, the UN’s 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-based Violence campaign “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls” aims to mobilise all members of society to prevent and reduce digital violence against women and girls.
What is digital violence?
UN Women outlines digital violence as: any act that is committed, assisted, aggravated, or amplified by the use of information communication technologies or other digital tools, that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual, psychological, social, political, or economic harm, or other infringements of rights and freedoms.
Digital violence – also known as technology-facilitated violence (TFV) – indiscriminately targets women and girls, but particularly impacts women with public or online visibility, and young women. The situation is even worse for women facing intersecting forms of discrimination, including race, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.
Digital violence doesn’t just stay online – it can lead to physical violence and femicide in the real world.
*Sources: UN Women, UNFPA
Digital violence against women & girls in the Pacific region
It’s estimated that up to 60 per cent of women and girls in the Pacific have experienced violence at the hands of partners or family members. But what is currently unclear is the prevalence of digital violence against women and girls in the Pacific region.
Despite the seemingly global pervasiveness of digital violence against women and girls – including in the Pacific region – to date, there’s very little peer-reviewed research on digital violence in Pacific Island countries. There are also limited resources to handle cases related to TFV in the Pacific region. Fiji is the only country (after Australia) to establish an Online eSafety Commissioner with legislative function to remove abusive content online. Another challenge is policy relating to online safety in the Pacific primarily focuses on cyber-crime and security, rather than issues of safety (including TFV). Also, slow responses from key enforcement agencies potentially causes more harm to survivors and disincentivises others from coming forward.
Tackling digital violence in Pacific countries tends to focus on women and girls withdrawing from online spaces. This not only exacerbates gender inequality, it often does nothing to actually stop abuse – both online and physical. When survivors go offline, perpetrators will often seek them out in the real world to continue the abuse – and/or find other women to harass online.
Pacific women are often blamed for their own mistreatment, in part due to the patriarchal nature and stereotypes about how women ‘should’ or ‘shouldn’t’ behave – particularly in regard to image-based abuse. Online criticism of women in the Pacific seems to reflect societal constructs and stereotypes present in the offline world.
Bringing about positive change
So, what can be done to combat digital violence against women and girls in the Pacific region?
WLI alumna Neelta Goundar, from Fiji, highlights the urgent need for comprehensive digital training and resources tailored, not only for parents and children, but also for teachers and the wider community.
“Providing inclusive education would foster a shared understanding of everyone’s roles and responsibilities in the digital space and equip all individuals with the knowledge to safely navigate online platforms,” says Neelta.
“While internet access offers numerous benefits, it also introduces significant risks that remain challenging to manage. It is crucial that we cultivate the ability to recognise signs of online abuse early on and learn how to address it effectively and sensitively. In Fiji, there is currently insufficient information available to guide individuals on the appropriate steps to take when experiencing online violence. This gap in support contributes to confusion among survivors, often leaving them in a vulnerable situation.”
Neelta emphasises that supporting this effort also means empowering current authorities across the Pacific to fulfil their crucial roles in identifying, policing, and responding to online abuse promptly and efficiently.
“Their capacity to manage complaints and take meaningful action must be strengthened to protect vulnerable individuals and build safer online environments,” says Neelta.
Neelta adds that there is “a pressing need for dedicated funding and focused research on technology-facilitated gender-based violence the Pacific region.” And that understanding the scope and prevalence of such violence is essential in shaping informed national policies, defining the responsibilities of authorities and key agencies, and developing culturally relevant and effective intervention programs.
“Online gender-based violence often deeply threatens a woman’s dignity and can leave long-lasting trauma, sometimes persisting throughout a lifetime. I believe itis imperative to allocate dedicated resources and support systems that assist survivors and their families, ensuring they receive the care, protection, and justice they deserve. In the Pacific, such levels of psychosocial support are greatly lacking,” says Neelta, who believes that “by collectively addressing all these challenges with compassion and commitment, we can work towards safer digital spaces where everyone’s rights and dignity are respected and upheld.”
Neelta – along with fellow Fijian WLI alumna, Jiupili Ralulu Simmons – hosted an event for WLI’s alumni community in Fiji, featuring experts working to address digital violence against women and girls.
WLI has previously hosted a Learning and Networking event on online violence against women and girls in the Pacific. A complete event summary paper outlining key insights, case studies, and resources is available to download through the WLI resources webpage.