Document detail

Free to be online? Girls' and young women's experiences of online harassment

Surrey: Plan International (2020), 66 pp.
"More than half of girls surveyed, from around the world, have been harassed and abused online. One in four girls abused online feels physically unsafe as a result. Online abuse is silencing girls' voices. Girls are harassed just for being girls and it gets worse if they speak up about issues they care about. Race, sexuality and disability are targeted too. Nowhere feels safe, and for many, online harassment that follows them into their homes, and invades their hearts and minds, is just as frightening, physically and emotionally, as street harassment. The two are interwoven – the result of underlying misogyny that is determined to keep girls and women “in their place.” Perpetrators who threaten rape and physical violence, use abusive and sexist language, post manipulated photos and send pornographic pictures are able to remain anonymous and unconstrained; girls are often afraid, begin to restrict what they post and are forced to try and protect themselves. It is time for this to stop. Girls and young women are demanding change. Their experiences are not “normal” and girls should not have to put up with behaviour online which would be criminal on the streets. Governments and social media companies must take action." (Key findings, p.7)
Contents
Introduction, 6
Methodology, 8
Setting the scene, 10
Equal Measures 2030: Gender equality and internet access, 13
WHAT WE HAVE LEARNED, 14
1 The importance of social media, 14
2 Online experiences of gender-based harassment, 16
“You are not alone”: Special feature by activist Hannah Al-Rashid, 24
3 Portraits of the perpetrators, 26
4 The effect of harassment on girls and young women, 28
“Talk to someone you trust”: Special feature by Miss Dominican Republic 2019 Clauvid Daly, 34
5 Because you’re a girl: harassment from streets to social media, 38
6 Bringing about change, 40
Programme and practice, 44
Conclusion, 48
Recommendations, 50