In an era where technology is deeply woven into daily life, it has also become a new frontier for gender-based violence. This blog series, accompanying the Sounds About Right podcast episodes, focuses on "Digital Harm, Real Impact: Understanding and Addressing Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls in West and Central Africa." The project originated as an in-depth research assignment in Professor Nabaneh’s Gender, Women’s Rights and Global Politics course. It is a collaborative effort between the University of Dayton Human Rights Center and UN Women West and Central Africa, aiming to translate academic findings into meaningful advocacy and action against Technology-Facilitated Violence Against Women and Girls (TF-VAWG).
When Screens Become Spaces: Protecting Women in a Digital World
Technology shapes how young people learn, connect, and build community. But for many girls and young women, these digital spaces also come with real risks. Technology-facilitated violence against women and girls (TF-VAWG) has emerged as one of the most urgent human rights issues of our time. While the internet offers opportunities, it also exposes young women to harassment, exploitation, and harm that often goes unanswered.
A global study by UN Women found that up to 58 percent of girls and young women have experienced online harassment. Behind this statistic are millions of girls' stories that often go unheard.
One of these stories comes from a young girl in Nigeria named Modupe, who trusted someone she met online through Facebook. When he pressured her into sending a nude image, the photo was later shared widely in her school and community. The humiliation that followed was relentless. When she turned to the police, instead of supporting her, they mocked her, but her experience was not unique. For many girls, the people and institutions meant to protect them simply aren’t built to do so. Modupe’s story is a reminder that TF-VAWG is a real issue that affects all of us. It shapes young women’s futures. It impedes their safety, their mental health, and their ability to participate fully in social media and online life. Young people globally are leading movements to change.
Youth-led activism
In West and Central Africa, youth-led activism has become one of the strongest forces pushing back against digital violence. One powerful example is the Bodyright Campaign, launched through a youth-focused dialogue convened by the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) in Sierra Leone. More than 200 young people gathered with national policymakers to speak openly about TF VAWG and to design solutions themselves. The message was clear: young people are no longer just affected by this violence; they are now leading movements to end it.
Another project is Kemi, an AI-powered WhatsApp chatbot created by the Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative (BBYDI), a youth-led Nigerian NGO. Kemi allows survivors to safely share their experiences, identify patterns of online abuse, and connect to legal or emotional support. It was co-designed by survivors, making it both practical and empathetic.
Kemi was developed following BBYDI's 2025 multi-country survey across Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Benin, Togo, and Senegal. An overwhelming 92 percent of respondents reported experiencing some form of digital violence, but less than half had ever reported it. Through 41 feedback workshops, BBYDI ensured survivors worked on developing the technology meant to protect them. That process alone built networks of solidarity, healing, and shared strength. This is an excellent example of survivor-centered innovation.
Many survivors fear exposure, retaliation, or judgment, which is why confidential reporting systems are essential. Tools like Kemi and the GBVIMS+ provide secure ways to report harm without risking further violence. Every aspect of GBVIMS+ is built around safety, confidentiality, survivors, and long-term protection.
Survivors need holistic support, and in Lagos, the Mirabel Center offers precisely that. As a one-stop center for survivors of sexual assault, it provides medical care, counseling, police reporting assistance, and legal information. Remote counseling expands its impact, connecting thousands to services they would not otherwise access. While Mirabel serves survivors of all forms of sexual violence, its model shows what is possible when communities employ survivor-centered initiatives that prioritize healing and long-term well-being. Unfortunately, these kinds of centers are uncommon, especially for TF VAWG. Expanding both remote and in-person survivor-centered support is essential for long-term digital safety.
Responding to harm is critical, but preventing it is equally important. Digital literacy has become one of the strongest tools for prevention. When young women understand how platforms work, how to protect their information, and how to recognize potentially dangerous situations, they gain the power to exist in digital spaces safely.
Across Ghana and Cameroon, youth-led organizations, such as Youth Advocates Ghana and SistersSpeak237, host digital safety workshops that teach girls how to manage privacy settings, report abuse, and recognize manipulation. These workshops also challenge harmful norms and gender biases that fuel online violence in the first place. Digital literacy becomes synonymous with empowerment.
It also serves as a gateway to digital feminist activism. When girls feel confident online, they are more likely to join movements fighting for gender justice. Online activism has created powerful communities of resistance that are reshaping public conversations about gender and safety.
Conclusion
Ending TF VAWG starts by prioritizing survivors in every digital policy guideline and every new technology we build. It hinges on empowering young people not only to participate in these conversations but to lead them. Too often, initiatives meant to protect young women exclude them from decision-making; however, actual progress requires their presence at the table and their guidance.
The future of online safety lies in the hands of survivors, young feminists, and the communities that believe technology should uplift rather than exploit. When we listen to survivors, we build a world where digital spaces empower rather than endanger, and we make screens that become spaces for good.
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Yasmin Nassar is a senior majoring in Political Science and International Studies with a concentration in Global Migration and Economic Development. Her family = lives in Dayton, Ohio. She serves as a Student Ambassador at the University of Dayton and has held multiple leadership and executive roles through her campus involvement. Yasmin served as the 2025–2026 Vice President of UDayton Votes and completed fellowships through the Human Rights Center, during which she collaborated with various community partners.