Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) remains one of the most persistent crises in our societies, a tragic reflection of deeply rooted harmful gender and societal norms. Despite countless campaigns and awareness efforts like the Generation Gender program, Sonke in partnership with other organisations launched #GBV Not My Heritage campaign. This is a bold initiative against normalisation of GBV so deeply rooted in cultural and religious fabric of South Africa. Statistics show a high rate of violence and discrimination against women and girls in the country, as femicide rates stand at five times the global average with high rates of GBVF cases that are reported daily. Currently from January to March 2025, thirteen thousand, four hundred and fifty -three (13453 )sexual offences we recorded, this is considering that some cases may be unreported. Harmful norms which enable the cycle of violence are often reinforced by culture, religion, tradition and race. The pervasion of violence against women and girls is so deeply ingrained that we sometimes fail to recognize or challenge them.
In today’s digital age, traditional forms of violence have found breeding ground and evolved in the form of Technology Facilitated Gender Based Violence (TFGBV), the use of digital tools and online platforms to harass, exploit or silence women, girls and other digital users. While the 4th Industrial Revolution has transformed how we connect, work and live, it has also introduced new alarming risks. Social media and digital spaces have proven to have pros and cons. At times they can be empowering and connecting us yet also enabling new forms of abuse often with bystanders unaware of their complicity. According to the Media Institute of Sothern Africa’s August 2024 report, about 73% of women journalists in South Africa say they have experienced TFGBV.
How can collective action counter GBV and digital violence against women and girls?
The following strategies can help build momentum and solidarity towards ending the vicious cycle of violence against women and girls
- Capacity strengthening initiatives and awareness raising efforts:
As young people, we are no strangers to the realities of online abuse. Digital violence often driven by coordinated attacks has become one of the most pervasive forms of GBV in our time. Through collective learning capacity strengthening initiatives and awareness raising efforts, we can explore diverse strategies to challenge and combat this growing issue. Real life stories and relatable content are powerful tools they invite engagement and solidarity among digital users who see their own experiences reflected in the conversation. The power of the collective lies in collaboration raising awareness, mobilizing the digital community and using digital spaces to amplify our reach. When we name digital abuse for what it is, we strip it of its invisibility and begin to shift the culture that allows it to thrive.
- Partnerships and collaboration:
Building a strong and united resistance to digital violence requires partnerships and collaboration. These have proven time and again to be essential in creating safer digital futures. As gender justice activists, civil society organizations, and digital rights advocates, we each hold a crucial role. Working hand-in-hand, we can ensure that digital and technological tools are inclusive, responsive to local lived realities and protective of all diversities. Through joint advocacy, information dissemination and collective action we can drive a movement for online safety and digital justice. One that empowers the digital community, challenges harmful norms, and achieves a lasting positive impact for all. There’s a national shutdown campaign on the 21st of November 2025 before the G20 Leaders Summit scheduled for 22-23 November 2025. This shutdown is a collaboration to demand for South African government to officially declare GBVF a national disaster. Through digital solidarity ,citizens are changing their social media profile pictures to purple and using the #WomenShutdown to make the campaign visible online
- Request accountability:
Beyond awareness campaigns, collective action must also hold perpetrators and platforms accountable. This means pushing for stronger policies, ethical technology design and survivor centered reporting systems that prioritize safety and justice. Empowering young people with digital literacy and feminist values can creates ripple effects shaping online spaces where respect, equality and empathy are non-negotiable. True change happens when we all commit to transforming digital spaces into zones of unity, solidarity and freedom for women and girls everywhere.
Why the call to end violence matters and requires collectives action:
From individual action to collective power the call to end violence requires mobilizing all stakeholders and using the digital tools and social media platforms to spread the word through our spaces and network partners. Digital violence has very alarming statistics that require everyone who is online to take a stance and be allies in combating these issues. The 16days of Activism against GBV campaign can be used to drive a narrative that will attract individuals to want to be part of the advocacy initiatives. Currently as we stand there are already initiatives that are using digital tools to spread across all spectrums of media on how we can collaborate to fight against violence either hybrid or online.
Unpacking the importance of ending TFGBV, we look at Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence, which is most carried out online by using digital tools to perpetuate it. Technology-Facilitated GBV is still a new concept in the activism space, as it is done online or using technology to perpetuate GBV amongst other online users. Digital transformation has opened new spaces of participation for young people in advancing gender justice and eliminating sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). However, the advancement of technology also brings serious challenges in the form of online gender-based violence, which directly impacts the safety, mental health, and participation of young people in digital spaces.
Various studies show that women, young people, and vulnerable groups are the main targets of online harassment ranging from sexist comments, doxing and non-consensual content sharing to the use of manipulative technologies such as deepfakes. This phenomenon is not only an individual issue but also a structural problem that hinders gender equality and reinforces discriminatory norms. Ending digital violence across all gender, race and age spectrum is not a task for one person or one organisation.It requires all of us activists, parents, technology professionals and ordinary users to challenge harmful norms, support survivors and speak up when we witness abuse. Every shared post that raises awareness, every conversation that educates every online user who chooses empathy over mockery these are acts of collective power. Together we can build a digital world rooted in respect, safety and equality. “As I reflect on my activism journey, I am reminded that true progress happens when we work as a collective as it is our greatest tool in the modern age and when we harness it, we can transform the digital world into a space where women and girls not only exist but thrive.” Lwazi Sikoto, Sonke trainer.
By Lwazi Sikoti,Trainer, SGJ
Edited by Eucharia Nkengafack, coomunications coordinator , SGJ
