16 Days of Activism 2025: End digital violence against all women and girls – UN Women

Report on Digital Violence Against Women and its Implications for Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Digital Violence as a Barrier to SDG 5

The increasing use of digital tools to perpetrate violence against women and girls presents a significant challenge to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality). This form of abuse directly contravenes Target 5.2, which calls for the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls. The weaponization of technology for harassment, stalking, and abuse represents a modern front in the fight for gender equality and requires focused action within the global development framework.

Manifestations of Digital Gender-Based Violence

Digital violence encompasses a spectrum of harmful acts that undermine the safety and rights of women and girls, thereby impeding progress towards a just and equitable society as envisioned by the SDGs. These manifestations include:

• Image-based abuse, including the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
• Cyberbullying, trolling, and the issuance of online threats.
• Online harassment and sexual harassment.
• The use of AI-generated deepfakes to create sexually explicit or manipulated images, videos, or audio.
• The propagation of hate speech and disinformation on social media platforms.
• Doxxing, the act of publishing private and identifying information.
• Online stalking and surveillance used to monitor and control an individual’s activities.
• Online grooming and sexual exploitation.
• Catfishing and impersonation for malicious purposes.
• The cultivation of misogynistic networks and online forums that incite hatred against women.

Connection to Offline Violence and SDG 16

These digital acts are not isolated from physical reality and often serve as precursors or extensions of offline violence, including coercion, physical abuse, and femicide. This online-to-offline continuum of violence directly threatens the achievement of SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions), specifically Target 16.1, which aims to significantly reduce all forms of violence. The long-term harm inflicted on survivors undermines social stability and highlights the need for stronger institutional responses to ensure justice and security for all.

Disproportionate Impact and the Challenge to SDG 10

Evidence indicates that digital violence disproportionately targets women, particularly those in public-facing roles such as activists, journalists, politicians, and human rights defenders. This trend curtails women’s participation in public life, a key component of SDG 5. Furthermore, the impact is compounded for women who face intersecting forms of discrimination based on race, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. This exacerbates existing inequalities, directly challenging the ambitions of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) to ensure no one is left behind.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 5: Gender Equality

  This is the primary SDG addressed. The article focuses exclusively on digital violence that “targets women more than men,” including various forms of abuse like cyberbullying, online harassment, and the non-consensual sharing of images. It directly discusses the need to end violence and discrimination against women and girls, which is the core mission of SDG 5.

• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions

  The article connects digital abuse to severe real-world consequences, stating that online acts “often lead to offline violence in real life (IRL), such as coercion, physical abuse, and even femicide.” By highlighting these forms of violence, harassment, and exploitation, the article touches upon the goal of reducing all forms of violence and promoting justice for victims, which is central to SDG 16.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article explicitly points out that the negative impact of digital violence is “even worse for women facing intersecting forms of discrimination, including race, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.” This directly relates to SDG 10’s aim to reduce inequalities and ensure that marginalized and vulnerable groups are not disproportionately affected by harmful practices.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• Target 5.2: Eliminate all forms of violence against all women and girls in the public and private spheres, including trafficking and sexual and other types of exploitation.

  The article’s entire focus is on various forms of digital violence, which are modern manifestations of violence in public and private spheres. It lists specific examples like “online harassment and sexual harassment,” “online grooming and sexual exploitation,” and “image-based abuse,” all of which fall directly under this target.

• Target 5.b: Enhance the use of enabling technology, in particular information and communications technology, to promote the empowerment of women.

  While the article describes the misuse of technology, it implicitly addresses this target. The prevalence of digital abuse acts as a significant barrier to women’s empowerment through technology. To achieve Target 5.b, the issues of digital stalking, harassment, and hate speech described in the article must be addressed to ensure technology is a safe tool for empowerment.

• Target 16.1: Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

  The article makes a direct link between online abuse and severe offline harm, noting that it can lead to “physical abuse, and even femicide – killing of women and girls.” This connection to physical violence and death rates makes Target 16.1 highly relevant.

• Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory… practices.

  The article describes digital violence as a discriminatory practice that disproportionately harms women, especially those with public visibility like “activists, journalists, women in politics,” and those facing “intersecting forms of discrimination.” This practice creates an inequality of outcome, where certain groups are silenced and face greater harm, directly relating to the goal of this target.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• Implied Indicators for Target 5.2

  The article implies the need to measure the prevalence of specific forms of digital violence. Progress could be tracked by measuring the incidence of:

  • Non-consensual sharing of intimate images (“revenge porn”).
  • Online harassment and cyberbullying targeting women and girls.
  • AI-generated deepfake pornography and sexually explicit images.
  • Online grooming and sexual exploitation cases.

• Implied Indicators for Target 16.1

  The article’s statement that digital abuse leads to “offline violence” and “femicide” suggests that progress could be measured by tracking:

  • The number of reported cases of physical abuse or femicide where digital harassment or stalking was a precursor.
  • The prevalence of online threats of violence that are acted upon offline.

• Implied Indicators for Target 10.3

  The article’s focus on intersectionality implies the need for disaggregated data. Progress could be measured by:

  • The proportion of women from marginalized groups (based on race, disability, gender identity) who report experiencing digital violence compared to other groups.
  • The prevalence of online hate speech and disinformation specifically targeting women in politics, journalism, or activism.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: lac.unwomen.org