The online world has long been rife with harassment and bigotry particularly for women - rape and death threats are an everyday hazard online, and many women have also been victims of cyberflashing, revenge porn and deep fakes.
For women of colour, transwomen and those that have a public-facing job such as politicians, it’s far worse. Often their inboxes are inundated with malicious insults targeting not only their gender but also their faith, ethnicity and country of origin.
The pandemic has only further exacerbated the problem. With people being pushed into virtual-only environments, new forms of online abuse have emerged including zoombombing - which is where uninvited trolls disrupt a video conference call, often by sharing images or videos showing violence or pornography.
What’s equally distressing is how it can be easy to trivialise online harassment — particularly when you compare it to sexual assault in the real world.
A demeaning comment or image online isn’t as bad as actually being grabbed, right? Women therefore downplay online harassment because they think, 'Thank God, at least nobody touched or groped me,’ so online harassment seems to go relatively unquestioned.
Women are expected to hold their anguish and make extra efforts to keep themselves safe online, at the same time being told to accept this is just the way things are online - that they just have to develop thick skin and not feed the trolls. However, frequent trolling impacts a woman’s confidenceand her psychological safety.
The time has come for men to pitch in to act as effective allies, not just offline, but in the online space as well. If you are a man who has viewed online abuse with apathy, it’s time to shake things up
The time has come for men to pitch in to act as effective allies, not just offline, but in the online space as well. If you are a man who has viewed online abuse with apathy, it’s time to shake things up and avoid being an unintentional perpetrator, or worse still, a silent complicit. Just because it’s online doesn’t mean it’s any less damaging for a woman’s psyche. Moreover jokes and comments about harming women play into a larger narrative where it’s okay to progress from words to deeds.
TO SUPPORT OUR CAMPAIGN TO MAKE CYBERFLASHING ILLEGAL, YOU CAN SIGN OUR PETITION HERE
To take on overt sexism by yourself, you may have to regulate conversations and police other people’s tone. And that’s not exactly a piece of cake. Often well-intentioned people adopt a passive responsibility — they may give the appearance of taking responsibility, but they are ambivalent, reluctant or flat out missing when public action is required. People tend to believe it is better to mind their own business and keep their head down.
However, it’s necessary to challenge violators because sometimes others do not realise their behaviour is inappropriate until someone points it out. When someone from their own circle does the ‘pointing,’ it also carries more weight..
Here are a few tips to bear in mind when being an allyonline.
Educate Yourself: Be aware of the challenges women are facing. And when they do share experiences, believe them instead of policing their reaction. Do not challenge the validity of their encounters and the authenticity of her experiences.
What You Share Is Important: Men can set the tone on their own social channels by sharing content that values, celebrates, amplifies or elevates women’s voices.
Build a Support Network of Peer Allies: Sometimes, the abuse is part of a coordinated campaign. Focus on building your own network who can back you, so you don’t have to confront alone.
As a man, your willingness to take a stand can lead to a transformative change in the digital world. Even small acts of resistance can make a difference. Many men have already joined the fight and are lobbying for change and as women, we couldn’t be more grateful.
We are calling for criminalisation of cyberflashing within the Online Harms Bill which is due to be published later this year. We have an opportunity to change things NOW, so please sign our petition to show your support.
READ MORE: 'I've Been Bombarded With Penis Shots': Emily Atack On Why She's Backing Grazia's Campaign To Make Cyberflashing A Crime