Online violence against women is not “just online” New @unwomen.bsky.social report shows its serious impact on women journalists, activists and human rights defenders For @womensonlinewellbeing.co.uk, this reinforces why evidence, policy, platform accountability and survivor support must keep pace

Metro reporting on teenage domestic abuse shows why online misogyny and “manosphere” content must be taken seriously Digital spaces shape what young people see as normal in relationships. Safety, respect and wellbeing matter online and offline Content: domestic abuse, suicide, online misogyny

Devastating reporting on a teenage suicide linked to domestic abuse underlines why online misogyny must be taken seriously as part of gendered violence Digital spaces shape ideas about control, coercion, wellbeing and safety Content: domestic abuse, suicide, online misogyny

Rise in under-18s reporting sextortion from @nspcc.bsky.social shows why digital sexual violence must be treated as a serious #safeguarding and #wellbeing issue Young people need safer technology, clear reporting routes, and #traumainformed support #OnlineSafety #Sextortion #ImageBasedAbuse

UK Stalking Awareness Week (20–26 April) Stalking includes online harassment and monitoring, and is part of wider patterns of violence At WOW, we explore how this harm is increasingly digital We signpost trusted support services across Europe #StalkingAwarenessWeek #DigitalViolence

If you’re under 18 and worried about a sexual image or video of yourself online, support is available Childline offers Report Remove, a free, confidential service that helps young people take images down from the internet Find out more: www.childline.org.uk/remove

Don't forget to sign up for this upcoming conference: Online Hate, Harm and Victimisation: Emerging Challenges for Research and Practice Hosted by the BSC Hate Crime Network & BSC Victims Network 📅 4 June 2026 📍 Northumbria University + online 🎟️ Free

A new Swedish report shows how harm online can be repeated and prolonged - each share or view can be a renewed violation Women and girls are disproportionately affected, and major gaps in research and policy remain Read more from Prof Sara Thunberg: www.womensonlinewellbeing.co.uk/news-blogs/n...

Academic exchange helps strengthen research through collaboration and shared ideas WOW PhD researcher Belma Isakovic recently presented her work on technology-facilitated sexual violence at Umeå University Read the full blog: www.womensonlinewellbeing.co.uk/news-blogs/p...

Two alarming reports published this week highlight how generative AI is enabling violence against women and girls on an extraordinary scale. My latest @theobserveruk.bsky.social observer.co.uk/news/science...

@drstephfohring.bsky.social, lead of the @womensonlinewellbeing.co.uk project, took part in @unwomen.bsky.social CSW70 in London We’re proud to be involved, especially with this year’s focus on women’s access to justice, safety, and participation. #CSW70UK #womensonlinewellbeing

Our @womensonlinewellbeing.co.uk (WOW) consortium came together for our annual meeting, hosted at the Universitat de Lleida, Spain Bringing partners together in person is a valuable opportunity to reflect on our progress - which we're incredibly proud of as we approach our first year of the project

Landmark #deepfake case in Australia highlights a growing form of gendered abuse At WOW, we see how #AI driven #imagebasedviolence disproportionately targets women, impacting safety and wellbeing online As harms evolve, so must legal, policy & support responses #DigitalViolence #ImageBasedAbuse

We are aware of the BBC investigation into a small number of rogue advisers encouraging fraudulent claims. Such misconduct should always be challenged. But amplifying isolated cases risks distorting public debate and harming women who rely on asylum for safety. ⚠️ buff.ly/sHeiXz0 1/🧵

UK teenage girls say misogyny, harassment and online abuse shape their daily lives. This BBC article describes teenage girls experiences in their own words. Often life is described as being shaped through boys’ expectations, behaviour and scrutiny.

New from 404 Media: WebinarTV is a company secretly scraping peoples' Zoom meetings and posting them online for others to watch. We've now found those include anonymous recovery programs, substance abuse meetings, etc. Supposed to be anonymous but show names and faces www.404media.co/webinartv-se...

They came to lobby against online sexual abuse and found lawmakers wrestling with abuse within their own ranks. I spent time with RAINN experts + survivor advocates yesterday for their annual, and this year, pertinently timed Hill advocacy day: 19thnews.org/2026/04/cong...

Child victims of online sexual abuse in UK inadequately protected, review finds

Before #LouisTheroux on Netflix there was this BBC documentary which shifts the focus from influencers to the young men shaped by manosphere content #DVAW #VAWG #OnlineCultures #DigitalViolence

An AI advert has been banned for suggesting it could “remove” women’s clothing, raising serious concerns about how women are represented online Even if the app itself didn’t allow this, the advert promoted the idea that women’s bodies can be altered or exposed without consent

AI chatbots are being linked to new forms of violence against women & girls - enabling harassment, stalking and abuse This is exactly why research like Women’s Online Wellbeing (WOW) matters: digital harms are evolving faster than policy and evidence #DVAW #VAWG #OnlineSafety #DigitalViolence #AI

We welcome Government’s plans for a free Independent Legal Advice service for adult survivors of rape, after years of campaigning for this vital provision to support greater access to justice. www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home...

Survivor of online child abuse shares story as 'deeply shocking' rise in crimes revealed

I am a 15-year-old girl. Let me show you the vile misogyny that confronts me on social media every day Objectification, hate, rape threats: the politicians debating online abuse mean well, but to truly understand, they need to see what I see.

Still time to register for “Online Hate, Harm and Victimisation: Emerging Challenges for Research & Practice” Researchers, policymakers & practitioners discuss online abuse, digital harms & victim experiences 4 June Northumbria Uni (Hybrid) Free Register www.tickettailor.com/events/bscha...

#LouisTheroux’s Inside the #Manosphere has sparked widespread discussion about online masculinity influencers, misogyny and algorithm-driven content If you’ve experienced online abuse or digital violence, support is available, click: www.womensonlinewellbeing.co.uk/if-you-need-...

Social media plays 'huge role' in promoting traditional gender views The study surveyed 23,000 people worldwide, showing that as many as 31% of men in their teens and twenties believed "a wife should always obey her husband", while 13% of older men aged 60 and over agreed with the same statement

“Refuge, the UK’s largest specialist domestic violence organisation, has revealed that referrals to its Technology-Facilitated Abuse and Economic Empowerment team rose by more than 62% in 2025 compared with the previous year.”

This is a really useful Privacy tool for anyone online! www.bbc.co.uk/future/artic...

Metro article explores the “manosphere” – online communities where misogynistic narratives about gender and relationships circulate widely Understanding these digital environments matters when addressing violence against women online #VAWG #DigitalViolence #WomenOnline #Women #LouisTheroux

AI is accelerating online abuse against women and girls Experts warn new tools are making harassment, stalking and the creation of deepfake images easier than ever and regulation struggles to keep pace Research on digitalised violence against women matters #VAWG #OnlineSafety #DigitalViolence

Recently, @drstephfohring.bsky.social from the Women’s Online Wellbeing (WOW) attended the AI & Gender Conference hosted by The Young Women’s Movement in Edinburgh Important discussions on AI bias, gender gaps in tech, and how digital systems reflect wider inequalities #WomensOnlineWellbeing #AI

Upcoming conference 👇⬇️👇⬇️👇 Online Hate, Harm and Victimisation: Emerging Challenges for Research and Practice Hosted by the BSC Hate Crime Network & BSC Victims Network 📅 4 June 2026 📍 Northumbria University + online 🎟️ Free #OnlineSafety #HateCrime #DigitalHarms #Criminology

Millions creating deepfake nudes on Telegram as AI tools drive global wave of digital abuse

Abusers using AI and digital tech to attack and control women, charity warns | Violence against women and girls | The Guardian

"We believe the most efficient and effective way to stop the tech companies continuing to harm our children - and many others - is to strengthen and enforce the existing #onlinesafetyact." Our response to the Government's #socialmedia consultation today.👇🏻 www.onlinesafetyact.net/analysis/str...

Pupils behind explicit AI images tracked down, says NI principal | BBC News

Frontline domestic violence services, including Women's Aid, gardaí and Government officials fear a girl in Ireland could die at the hands of a boy who does not fully understand what he is doing to her, writes @ellenmcoyne.bsky.social in today's @irishtimes.com www.irishtimes.com/life-style/p...

Important read from Safe Haven Education: how technology is reshaping coercive control Phones, smart devices, spyware and AI tools are increasingly being used as instruments of surveillance and control, while safeguarding systems struggle to keep up #CoerciveControl #TechAbuse #VAWG #DigitalSafety

Almost a month on from #SaferInternetDay, the conversation has moved on, but the reality of being online hasn’t Online harm is often cumulative: a comment, a message, the pressure to stay visible but not too visible Internet safety isn’t just a technical issue. It’s a #wellbeing issue

Challenge the myth that automated decision-making systems are neutral AI reflects the data and societies it comes from, and those contain structural inequalities. Without care, tech can reproduce or amplify those inequalities Director Carlien Scheele speaks on automated decisions and human rights

Encouraging to see action from the UK Government to better protect people from intimate image abuse online, but effective protection also needs “stay down” measures, safety-by-design, and coverage across smaller platforms so harmful content can’t simply reappear elsewhere #OnlineSafetyAct #VAWG

Professor Clare McGlynn reminds us, the term “revenge porn” is misleading and harmful (2016) The more accurate term is 'image-based sexual abuse', reflecting the real harms victims experience and the range of abusive behaviours involved This isn’t pornography. It’s abuse #WomensOnlineWellbeing

Powerful AI tools are being released without adequate safeguards In early 2026, Grok faced backlash after its image tools were used to generate thousands of fake, sexualised images of real people, including minors, every hour. This isn’t just a tech issue. It’s a safety issue #DigitalSafety #AI

AI “nudification” and sexual deepfakes are a growing form of image-based sexual abuse The harm is real, even when the images are fake. Respect to @jessasatomp.bsky.social MP for speaking out and pushing for action #DigitalViolence #VAWG #WomensOnlineWellbeing

The Women's Online Wellbeing project is joining UN Women's Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) The theme of CSW70 is access to justice for women and girls, alongside women’s safety and participation in public life Join us! #CSW70UK #UNWomenUK #WomensOnlineWellbeing

Hi, thanks for your interest. We’ll soon be launching our website and social channels Women’s Online Wellbeing (WOW) is a Europe-wide research project exploring digitalised violence against women, its impact on wellbeing, and how responses can be improved More information, news and events to come