Don’t normalise online trolls

The world experienced a historic moment of change after the Covid-19 pandemic, which shifted our lives from the physical to the digital space.

As such, this year’s International Women’s Day theme was DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality.

It called on governments to boost their efforts in shaping a safer, more inclusive and equitable digital world for all. Globally, however, men are 21 per cent more likely to have access to the Internet than women, according to the World Economic Forum.

The digital revolution is a double-edged sword for women. While it has enabled us to connect, share information, and raise awareness of various issues, it has also provided fertile ground for gender-based violence (GBV), with little accountability.

Online abuse proliferates fast – one tweet can turn into a barrage of targeted hate in minutes. I wish social media companies could start taking this problem seriously.

Although all genders experience abuse, women’s encounters are more sexual, violent and sustained. They have been victims of non-consensual image or video sharing, intimidation, online sexual harassment, stalking, and impersonation. 

The recent attack on a former nominated senator, for example, was completely uncalled for. I concur with Suba North MP Millie Odhiambo that men who leak women’s private photos should be sentenced to life in prison.

Extension of offline violence

Online GBV is essentially an extension of the offline violence directed at women, owing to their gender, targeting their sexuality, reinforcing gender stereotypes, and reducing them to sexual objects.

These relentless messages are an assault on their careers, psychological state, and their freedom to live online. Some are silenced, while others censor their opinions fearing backlash. Some victims have even had suicidal thoughts. Trolls are sadists – they attack where it hurts the most.

We recently ran a story on why the world’s most powerful women are quitting their jobs. Among them is former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who said she had “nothing left in the tank”. There are claims, however, that she quit because of online hate and vitriol.

There is an urgent need for specialised legislative measures at the national level against online GBV. Access to the internet and digital skills are crucial in today’s increasingly digital world, and women and girls shouldn’t be silenced out of this journey. We must ensure their online spaces are safe and enabling.

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