UN Women: 7 out of 10 women activists and journalists suffer online violence

Geneva.- Seven out of ten women human rights defenders, activists, and journalists have suffered online violence in the course of their work, revealed Yeliz Osman, gender violence specialist at UN Women, at a press conference this Tuesday.

The data corresponds to a report published by the European Commission and UN Women, in collaboration with UNESCO and with researchers from The Nerve, from City St George’s of the University of London and the International Center for Journalists.

In the report, which covers 119 countries, the researchers also detected that the percentage of journalists who reported having suffered attacks in the «real world» related to online violence doubled (from 20% in 2020 to 42% in 2025).

As an example, the lead researcher of the report, Julie Posetti, cited the case of the Filipino journalist Maria Ressa, who suffered a discrediting campaign where ‘hashtags’ were used that called for her arrest «y that laid the groundwork for her persecution, prosecution and conviction on a false charge of cyber defamation». You can also read: https://efe.com/mundo/2025-12-09/onu-mujeres-violencia/

She also mentioned the case of Daphne Caruana, the Maltese investigative journalist who was murdered in 2017 after years of violence, threats and online dehumanization.

The Use of AI to Attack Women

The report revealed that one in four activists and journalists surveyed have suffered attacks using artificial intelligence such as 'deepfakes', manipulated content that imitates the image and voice of a real person. The most targeted are writers and public communicators specializing in human rights, who suffered 30% of these AI-manipulated contents. "These tools are being used to sexualize women, discredit them and intimidate them, with the aim of silencing them," Osman denounced. The UN Women's gender violence specialist blamed this on the ease of access and low cost of AI, as well as the algorithms, which "are designed to amplify hatred and maximize the profits of technology companies." For her part, researcher Posetti also blamed the rise of authoritarianism and the popularization of misogyny.

The Impact of Digital Violence Against Women

Victims of sexual violence suffer trauma, depression, anxiety, self-harm, and suicide, in addition to an increasing link with femicides, Osman warned. As women's voices are silenced, censored, and discredited, many abandon the public sphere or activism and, in some cases, their professions, she lamented. Osman warned that this also impacts younger generations, as it discourages girls from pursuing professions such as journalism or politics. "When this happens, it's not just a problem of women's rights, it's a democratic crisis (...) our societies are less informed, less representative and, as a result, less free," underlined the gender violence specialist.

Attacks from the Authorities

Posetti added that it is also the presidents and prime ministers themselves who exercise this violence, as was the case of Jair Bolsonaro, former president of Brazil, against the journalist Patricia Campos Mello or when the US president, Donald Trump, calls female reporters "stupid" and "pigs" or tells them to shut up, she exemplified. "When a president, a prime minister, or a high-ranking official makes such outrageous comments, they tend to stir up the masses on the internet," explained the researcher. Posetti also held the incel movement and influencers like Andrew Tate who practice "digital misogyny" responsible as a way to extend their campaign to limit women's rights. But she also acknowledged that this online violence is for some a notorious expression of sexism and the desire to silence women.

Solutions and Responsibilities

Osman urged countries to reinforce policies that recognize online attacks as a form of violence and as a violation of human rights. Currently, only 40% consider this type of policy, Osman nuanced. He also highlighted the importance of education, especially for men, and the change in social norms. Posetti also highlighted the importance of understanding the radicalization of certain types of misogynists as a threat to security and a form of "national terrorism". He alluded to the importance of holding big tech companies accountable, whose algorithms favor "extreme, sexist and misogynistic" narratives. "We cannot continue to allow the arguments of the tech companies where they defend that any attempt to make them assume responsibilities is an attack on freedom of expression," he asserted.