UN sounds alarm on rising online abuse against women
The United Nations has issued a stark warning that digital violence against women is rising sharply across the world, driven by anonymous abusers, artificial-intelligence tools such as deepfakes, and gaps in legal protections and platform accountability.
In a statement released as part of the global 16 Days of Activism campaign, UN Women said online harassment has evolved into a dangerous form of gender-based violence with severe real-world consequences. The agency stressed that threats, doxxing, non-consensual intimate images and deepfake pornography are now widespread, pushing many women out of public spaces both online and offline. Digital violence is real violence,” a senior UN Women official warned. “It silences women, threatens their safety, and undermines their rights. The UN noted that abuse that begins on social media often escalates to physical stalking, intimidation, and economic harm. Victims have reported losing jobs, facing coordinated smear campaigns, and living under constant fear of harassment. Emerging technologies have worsened the trend, enabling the creation and mass circulation of fabricated sexual images within minutes, often with little traceability. According to the UN, nearly half of all countries still lack clear laws protecting women from technology-facilitated abuse. This legal vacuum allows perpetrators to act with near-total impunity, while platforms struggle — or in some cases fail — to enforce effective safety mechanisms. The UN is urging governments to enact stronger legislation that explicitly criminalizes digital abuse, including deepfakes, doxxing, and non-consensual sharing of intimate images. It also calls on tech companies to prioritize user safety by improving reporting systems, speeding up takedowns of harmful content, and redesigning algorithms that amplify harassment. Women’s rights groups have welcomed the renewed global focus but warn that progress will require coordinated efforts, investment in survivor support systems, and the political will to regulate powerful technology platforms. As global data continues to show high levels of gender-based violence offline, the UN says the rapid rise of digital abuse threatens to deepen an already severe global crisis. Protecting women online is essential to protecting them everywhere,” the UN said, urging immediate action to curb the growing wave of online harm.
