DIGITAL VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY

1) The Ripple Effect of Digital Violence: How has online abuse — stalking, doxxing, cyberbullying, or deepfake content — affected your life or community? What steps can we take to make digital spaces safer for all?

Definition of Digital Violence

Digital violence in its broader term is used to define violence facilitated through the internet and its various platforms. It is categories according to the manner which the violence was perpetuated and the effect of the violence on the victim. That is, if the violence is imaged based or Not. And it has infringed on the rights and freedom of the victim. Image based violence, also known as Non-Consensual intimate image distribution, which is being define as “the non-consensual distribution of photos or videos depicting nudity, partial nudity or sexual explicit acts” A distinguishing factor in this regard is the element of distribution. That is, the distribution is primarily facilitated through internet platforms

EFFECTS of stalking, doxxing, cyberbullying, or deepfake content in our community.

The psychological impact:

online attacks may cause severe damages to women’s emotional, social and sexual life emarginating them form society and creating distrust towards new acquaintances. Victims of non-consensual dissemination of private images such as revenge porn, doxing, deepfake suffer from shame and humiliation which may have deadly consequences sometimes pushing women to commit suicide222. On the other hand, victims of online sexual harassment and coercion reported experiencing higher levels of anger, drug abuse and alcohol as well as struggles with parents223. Stress, anxiety as well as a sense of fear and intimidation was also detected on victims of cyberstalking and coercion. Therefore, due to its emotional impact on the victims, cyberviolence has been described indirect or direct online communication that is stated in an exploitative, aggressive, manipulative, lewd or threatening way and it is designed to provoke psychological or emotional distress, feelings of inferiority.

The physical impact:

Psychological impact of online abuses may lead to physical consequences such as self-harm and suicidal intents. Moreover, when online violence such as cyber stalking transforms into offline persecution, victims might end harmed or even killed. Online abuses and harassment perpetrated by State authorities against women human rights defenders, women journalists, or women politicians, one of the physical consequences that these women might suffer is incarceration.

ECONOMIC Impact:

women may suffer from major economic losses are those whose employment depends on or is strictly connected to the internet more specifically to social media platform such as Twitter or Facebook. These could be journalists, politicians, academics, or influencers. In this regard both directly and indirectly online violence may interfere with women’s participation online sometimes leading them to permanently disconnect form social media platform causing dramatic repercussions on their income. For example, report by the Special Rapporteur argued that women journalists, victims of cyber violence, are sometimes obliged to self-censorship, use pseudonyms or to keep a low profile. Moreover, when they feel that their physical safety is threatened, they suspend or delate their account. Such events have severe consequences on their professional life leading to economic losses. In fact, not being able to freely investigate or discuss a topic of their choice out of fear of being harassed or menaced prevents women journalist from efficiently perform their work duties, negatively affecting their reputation as journalist. Furthermore, the linkage between psychological and economic impact shall not be underestimated.

The social and societal impact

Being victims of online abuses and harassment negatively affects women’s social life on the one hand, and society and women as a whole on the other hand, menacing the full enjoyment of Human Rights. Regarding the first issue, women abused and harassed on the digital space might intentionally isolate themselves from family and friends. One of the main reasons being humiliation or fear that their sexually explicit images might reach loved ones. in cases of revenge porn, doxing and sextortion they may find themselves excluded by the same family and friends or even by coworkers who might stigmatize and blame the victim for creating such explicit content. However, online abuses do not have to directly target a woman, in order to make her feel unsafe on the internet.

RECOMMENDATION FOR A SAFER DIGITAL SPACE

1)obligations on internet service providers to ensure online safety of their Basotho users, in particular women and girls.

2) It is further recommended that the Bill be amended to include and enlist all forms of online violence and provide explicitly penalties on each conduct as to whether it attracts criminal liability or a delictual one.

3) I believe the recommended approach will proactively and reactively address online violence. The reason for this assertion is that the state would have enacted legislative measures that regulates the conducts of the users and facilitators. Users will be bound by the service's terms of use, and failure to comply shall attract some repercussions. The service facilitators will also have their outlined roles and responsibilities to ensure the safety of their users.