The Sunday Mail
Harmony Agere
Abuse and harassment is driving 19 percent of girls and young women off social media platforms, while 12 percent have changed the way they express themselves, a survey on online violence by Plan International has revealed.
The survey – the largest of its kind – was based on a series of in-depth interviews involving 14 000 girls aged between 15 and 25 from 22 countries.
It found that girls who use social media in high- and low-income countries alike are routinely subjected to explicit messages, pornographic photos, cyber-stalking and other distressing forms of abuse.
“Online violence has led to nearly one-in-five (19 percent) of those who have been harassed stopping or significantly reducing their use of the platform on which it happened, while another one-in-10 (12 percent) have changed the way they express themselves,” said Plan International in a Press release.
“Abuse also damages girls’ lives offline, with one-in-five (22 percent) of those surveyed saying they or a friend have been left fearing for their physical safety, while 44 percent say social media companies need to do more to protect them.”
Plan International Zimbabwe country director, Angela Muriithi, said girls and young women were being left to deal with online violence on their own as reporting tools are ineffective in stopping it.
“Although this research was gathered in conversation with more than 14 000 girls across multiple continents, they share similar experiences of harassment and discrimination that resonate with experiences of girls and young women in Zimbabwe,” she said.
“The effect is that girls end up withdrawing from online platforms because of fear and intimidation and resultantly missing out on educational and other opportunities.
“These attacks may not be physical, but they are often threatening, relentless and limit girls’ freedom of expression.
“Driving girls out of online spaces is hugely disempowering in an increasingly digital world and damages their ability to be seen, heard and become leaders.”
Muriithi said the Covid-19 pandemic is driving most people’s lives online, hence the need to make it safe.
She said social media companies, however, have the power to make a change.
“They must do more to tackle harmful behaviour and ensure that their platforms are safe environments that allow girls, young people and other groups that are vulnerable to harassment to fully express themselves and play their rightful role in shaping the modern world.”
According to the survey, the most common type of attack is abusive and insulting language, reported by 59 percent of girls who have been harassed, followed by purposeful embarrassment (41 percent), body-shaming and threats of sexual violence (both 39 percent).
