How tech is facilitating violence against women

The notification pings. It could be a message from a friend, a work email, or a stranger telling you that your body isn't good enough. For Kenyan women, the smartphone in their pocket has become both a lifeline and a weapon, one that connects them to opportunity while simultaneously exposing them to relentless abuse.

In Kenya today, almost every woman who goes online has experienced some form of abuse. A staggering 99.3 per cent of women and girls reported facing technology-facilitated violence, whether through harassment, threats, exploitation, or emotional torture.

This is according to a new report, Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls (TFVAWG), launched in Nairobi by the Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC), UN Women, and the Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).

The findings paint a grim picture of how the digital revolution has opened new opportunities while also exposing women to unprecedented risks in virtual spaces.

According to the report, 97.6 per cent of women in Kenya had endured psychological and emotional torture online, the most common form of digital abuse. This includes constant harassment, threats, trolling, and degrading messages designed to humiliate and silence women.

“Many people dismiss online abuse as something small, but it leaves deep scars,” said Mercy Kamau, a gender and sexual reproductive health rights researcher.

“We found that technology-facilitated violence causes mental and emotional stress, and in extreme cases, leads to depression, school dropouts, and even suicidal thoughts.”

Kamau, who also heads the grassroots feminist organisation Mother and Children’s Fund for Nairobi, says the findings show why online violence must be recognised as a form of gender-based violence (GBV).

The study identified WhatsApp and Facebook as the leading platforms for digital violence. Survivors said while these platforms have safety tools, they are often ineffective or difficult to use.

“Every day, women are stalked, their private images shared without consent, or their dignity attacked through voice notes and online groups,” Kamau explained. “This isn’t just about connectivity it’s about identity, safety, and inclusion. And right now, women are paying the highest price.”

The abuse is compounded by non-reporting. About 80 per cent of survivors did not report incidents due to fear of shame, stigma, or being blamed by their communities.

The consequences are devastating. Survivors often withdraw from digital spaces entirely, deleting social media accounts and avoiding the internet. For many, this means lost opportunities for education, networking, jobs, or entrepreneurship.

“I’ve seen young women who just vanish from online spaces,” Kamau said. “They don’t want to access the internet at all because they associate it with abuse. Yet in today’s world, being offline means losing economic and social opportunities.”

For students, the trauma can derail entire academic journeys. Kamau recalls cases of university girls whose intimate images were circulated online. “Some stopped going to class because classmates mocked them. Others dropped out of school altogether. Some even attempted suicide.”

The study also highlighted economic abuse through digital platforms, particularly involving M-Pesa fraud. Perpetrators, often strangers, trick women into revealing PINs or bank details by pretending to be Safaricom or other service providers.

“This is another form of violence because it exploits trust and vulnerability,” Kamau said. “When your money is stolen, it disrupts your life. And because nearly everyone in Kenya uses M-Pesa, it’s a risk that affects women across all ages and classes.”

Experts warn that online abuse is not confined to the virtual world. Often, it spills into real-life physical harm.

This intersection between online and offline abuse shows how technology amplifies existing gender-based violence rather than replacing it.

The report found that strangers account for more than 90 per cent of perpetrators in Kenya. However, intimate partners and ex-partners are also significant contributors, with about 40 per cent of cases involving them.

This reflects how online spaces have become extensions of patriarchal control, where both strangers and familiar abusers exploit digital tools to exert power over women.

The report compared Kenya with Nigeria, revealing similar patterns of abuse. WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter are key spaces where women face cyberstalking, harassment, and non-consensual image sharing.

In both countries, young women aged 18–34 are the most affected. In Kenya, this group is often educated, employed, and vocal making them visible targets of backlash. In Nigeria, younger women aged 18–24 are particularly vulnerable as they navigate adulthood while facing online sexual harassment.

“Technology is not neutral. It reflects and amplifies existing inequalities. Unless women’s safety is prioritised, digital spaces will remain battlegrounds,” noted Dr Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, founder of WARDC.

Nigerian activist Aisha Yesufu, co-convener of the #BringBackOurGirls movement, echoed calls for accountability.

“If I’m on WhatsApp or Facebook, then Meta must guarantee my safety,” she said during the launch. “If your platform becomes a tool for abuse, then you must be legally accountable.”

Yesufu emphasised that digital platforms profit from African users but do little to address harm. “When women’s health content is flagged and removed faster than violent misogynistic content, that shows a double standard that must end,” she added.

Kenya has laws like the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act (2018), but experts say they remain gender-blind. They fail to capture the realities of TFVAWG, leaving survivors with limited legal remedies.

Most African governments, the report noted, focus on regulating dissent rather than safeguarding women. “We need a mindset shift,” one expert said. “Digital safety is not about censorship—it’s about protection.”

The report calls for urgent reforms, among them the need to enact gender-sensitive laws that explicitly recognise technology-facilitated violence as a form of gender-based violence. It also recommends the establishment of survivor-friendly reporting systems to reduce stigma and improve access to justice.

Stronger partnerships between governments, civil society, and technology companies are seen as key in creating accountability frameworks. In addition, the report urges investment in trauma-informed support services for survivors, particularly young women and girls, alongside training and awareness campaigns to equip women with the skills and confidence to navigate digital spaces safely.

“Civil society is already doing the heavy lifting, but we need coordinated national strategies,” Kamau said. “Without strong political will, efforts will remain scattered.”