What is Online Violence Against Women & Children?
Online violence is any type of abuse and violation that happens on the internet and/or via communication technology. It can take place through any online platforms (or commonly known as social media platforms) such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, WeChat, Twitter, etc. Online violence can include cyber-harassment, cyber-stalking, online grooming, sexting, posting unwanted sexual remarks or sexual images, etc. It can happen to anyone, but most times a majority of the victims are women and children.
It is important to remember that online violence often escalates to offline violence such as physical sexual assaults. Similar to offline violence, online violence can cause devastating consequences for the victims.
Also, it is very important to understand the additional risks or dangers of online violence:
- The victim may not ever know the real identity of the perpetrator;
- The perpetrator doesn’t have to be near the victim to perpetrate the violence;
- Sometimes more than one perpetrator will be involved;
- The abusive and sexually explicit materials online can be shared rapidly and exist for a very long time in the online space; and
- The tools used to perpetrate the violence are easily available and cost less.
Some of the signs that the person might experiencing online violence are:
- Spend a lot more or a lot less time than usual online;
- Fearful, angry, becoming distressed and withdrawn after using the internet;
- Secretive about who they are talking to and what they are doing online; and
- Change hand phone numbers frequently.
Types of Online Violence Against Women & Children
Cyber-harassment
In cyber-harassment, perpetrators use social media platforms, such as Facebook, and/or technology, such as hand phones, to send abusive and unwanted comments, explicit pictures or videos to annoy or threaten the victims repeatedly and frequently. They may post rude and mean comments on victims’ social media postings or spread rumours or lies or embarrassing information about the victims.
Sometimes, the abusers may encourage or instigate others to join the ‘text attack’ to overwhelm or make the victims retract from the social media spaces. This may include setting a blog or social media page to spread slurs and malicious messages about the victims.
Taking/Distributing non-consensual sexual materials
Perpetrators take and/or circulate sexual videos and/or pictures of the victims without victim’s consent on social media platforms. They also can use the materials against the victims to force the victims for sexual favours or money. For example, forcing victims to pose nude in front of the webcam or sexually touching themselves while the perpetrators watch.
There are times where the sexual videos or pictures were shared or taken consensually between two adults on the pretext it would remain private. However, when the relationship ends or there are issues in the relationships, the perpetrators use these materials to manipulate, hurt or defame the victims by circulating them and/or uploading them to porn websites.
Next, the act of sending or receiving sexual words, pictures, or videos via technology, usually a mobile phone is known as sexting. A person may do it willingly as an intimate gesture or flirting, or may be forced by their partners or peers. In Malaysia, it is illegal to keep even if it is your own images, or to send or receive nude pictures. It is child pornography if it involves a victim below 18 years old.
Online Grooming
Online grooming is a process where the perpetrators befriend the victims and build a trusting relationship on a social media platform before sexually or financially exploiting them. The perpetrators may disguise themselves as teenagers or younger persons or persons from an opposite sex to establish the relationship.
They may come forward as a ‘nice’ person e.g., good listener, understands the problems the victims may be facing, caring, and always appreciating. Importantly, give the victims the needed attention. The communication may become more frequent and intense until an ‘exclusive’ relationship is established, where the manipulation will start. This is also known as romance/love scam.
The perpetrators’ intention can be sexual or monetary. If it is sexual, they may start to introduce sexual related materials slowly and desensitise the victims. Gradually, they would start to request for sexual images from the victims, after gaining control over them. Later, once they have the victim trapped, they will become more manipulative and aggressive (intimidating, demanding or abusive). Emotional blackmail will be used to silence the victims.
If it is monetary, they may create tragic or desperate stories to gain sympathies of the victims i.e., unexpected hospital bills. It may start with a small amount of money and increase to a larger amount of money.
Online impersonation
In this type of violence, perpetrators use the technology or social media platforms to create a fake identity in social media or assume the identity of the victims to retrieve victims’ private information and/or to shame or defame the victims. They may also assume the victims’ identity to exploit another person. This includes stealing the victims’ password, chatting with victim’s online friends or posting sexual or inappropriate comments to degrade or damage the victims’ reputation.
They may also pretend to be someone else and lure unsuspecting victims into a fake relationship. Once the victim is trapped, they may harm the victim by scamming them or exploiting them sexually.
Cyber-stalking
Cyber-stalking is when perpetrators use technology or software to track and monitor the victims without the victim’s knowledge. Perpetrators may download certain applications or tracking devices into victim’s handphones, for instance, to track victims’ whereabouts and victim’s social media activities. Victims may not be aware of it.
Some perpetrators may even trick the victims to download malwares to take over victims’ webcams or devices. They may silently collect immense personal data of the victims just by monitoring the social media activities.
Effects of Online Violence on the Victims
Online violence against women and children is just as harmful as offline or physical violence. Often people tend to underestimate the effect of online violence and think that, because of ‘non-contact’, it cannot be severe.
Most of the time the victims are left alone with their experience, leading them to shame, silence and possible self-harm. In fact, online violence can take a devastating toll on the victims’ physical and mental health. Below are some of the effects:
Physical effects
- Headaches and fatigue
- Sleep and eating problems
- Self-harm
- Suicide
Emotional effects
- Increase of anxiety/stress level
- Fear
- Depression
- Low self esteem
- Suicidal thoughts or attempts
Social effects
- Inability to form trusting relationships with others
- Withdrawal from family and friends
- Lost ability to move around freely and connect with others in actual world
- Lost ability to freely express themselves and engage in online spaces
- Loss of money/assets/property
Check out useful resources on Online Violence.