The toll that comes with digital hate

Gendered attacks on women in public life - from political leaders to reporters - show how online spaces have become battlegrounds for power

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Last week, the world marked the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the beginning of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence - a global call to action by the United Nations to prevent and eliminate all forms of violence against women and girls.

This year's theme - "End digital violence against all women and girls" aims to draw attention to the rapid rise of hate directed at women online. Sadly, this problem is all too common in today's political world.

Why do we need attention drawn to this issue in politics?

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence is a serious and growing threat to women and girls. It's defined by the UN as: "Any act that is committed, assisted, aggravated, or amplified by the use of information communication technologies or other digital tools that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual, psychological, social, political, or economic harm, or other infringements of rights and freedoms."

It includes hate speech, violent threats, cyber-harassment, doxxing, image and video-based abuse, astroturfing, gendered disinformation and defamation.

When they silence prominent women

Marginalised women and women with public-facing roles - especially politicians, journalists and activists often bear the brunt of attacks, with the intent to silence and push them out of the public arena.

While popular assumptions about online misogynists view them as "bearded white dudes in a basement" ranting about women on their computers anonymously, some political leaders are also, unfortunately, spreading misogyny openly online.

So, what motivates leaders to spread gendered hate online?