16 days of activism: Let's stop digital violence against women and girls

Digital violence against women and girls today is just as devastating as physical violence. Threats, blackmail, unauthorized publication of intimate content, deepfake manipulation, so-called. "revenge pornography", online monitoring - all these phenomena leave profound consequences for mental health, safety, women's participation in public space and overall equality. As a society, we still underestimate how much the digital space is a real space of violence.

This year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (November 25 – December 10) campaign strongly emphasizes the message: “Online violence = real violence.” What happens on the screen has consequences in real life – from damaged reputations and self-esteem, to physical threats and femicide. One in three women globally experiences some form of violence, and digital platforms are opening up a new space in which violence becomes faster, more widespread and harder to stop.

What is happening in Bosnia and Herzegovina?

Organizations working with victims are seeing growth:

• threats via social networks,

• blackmail with "revenge" photos,

• deepfake manipulation,

• monitoring via location, passwords, cloud accounts,

• doxxing and publishing private data,

• coordinated campaigns of misogyny and attacks on female journalists and activists.

This is not just a private problem, but a broader issue of security, human rights and democratic participation.

How to protect yourself?

1. Privacy and password check: password manager: https://bitwarden.com check if passwords have been compromised: https://haveibeenpwned.com

2. Photo and document protection: metadata removal: https://www.verexif.com/en/ secure file sending: https://send.vis.ee

3. Reporting digital violence:

   Police and Prosecutor's Office of BiH (especially in cases of blackmail) Safe Women's House / Foundation of Local Women's Organizations Support Line: https://safeline.ba Resources for female journalists: https://bhnovinari.ba

4. Device and online profile protection: two-step authentication on all services blocking and reporting bullies on social networks

5. Education and digital literacy: Tools for verification of disinformation and deepfake content: https://www.invid-project.eu/tools-and-services/invid-verification-plugin

Digital violence is not just “an online argument.” It is a serious violation of rights and safety. Everyone – institutions, platforms, the education system, technology companies, and citizens – has a role to play.

These 16 days call for us to actively respond, report, support and help women stay safe - online and offline.

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence | UN Women – Headquarters

Secure Zone | CSEC