Cyberviolence against women

This chapter provides a comprehensive overview of the phenomenon of cyberviolence against women, presenting what is currently known from international, regional, and national research and reports. It frames cyberviolence as a form of gender-based violence, deeply rooted in structural inequality and discrimination, and examines its prevalence, forms, and consequences. The chapter highlights global and regional data on the scope of the problem, with particular attention to the intersectional vulnerabilities of women of color, LGBTQI+ women, women with disabilities, and other marginalized groups. It discusses the range of behaviors that constitute cyberviolence, the online spaces where it occurs, and its profound impacts on women’s health, professional and social lives, and participation in democracy. By comparing cyberviolence with domestic violence, the chapter identifies common mechanisms such as control, escalation, victim-blaming, and institutional failure, while also stressing the unique features of digital abuse, including anonymity, speed, scale, and permanence. Ultimately, the chapter underscores that cyberviolence is not a marginal issue but a serious violation of human rights that requires urgent systemic and legal responses.