Online and tech enabled VAWG is an evolving threat. The charity Refuge says that 1 in 3 women have experienced online abuse in their lives.

Stalking and harassment accounts for 85% of all online and tech enabled offences. And recent figures show that over one year, there were 123,515 violent offences against women and girls, which had a tech element.  

The VAWG Strategic Threat and Risk Assessment published by the National Police Chief's Council identified it as one of the four biggest threats to women, along with domestic abuse, rape and sexual offenses, and child sexual abuse and exploitation. It can happen to anyone, but it most often happens alongside other types of domestic abuse.

Forms of online and tech enabled violence against women and girls can include:

  • Cyberstalking: Using technology to stalk or harass someone. Making threats or unwanted contact. 
    Image based abuse: Sharing intimate photos or videos without consent, this can also be amplified by AI-generated content.
  • Online grooming and exploitation: Using online or social media platforms to exploit and manipulate vulnerable people, this can lead to real-world harm too.
  • Harassment and threats: Sending people unwanted or threatening messages, abuse or offensive content via social media, messaging platforms or email.
  • Doxing: Sharing private information about a person online eg. their phone number or address, without their consent.
  • Misogynistic content: Sharing hate, hostility, prejudice, or discrimination against women and girls, and normalising those messages. 

How to protect yourself 

The National Cyber Security Centre has advice on how to review privacy settings on social media and the charity Women’s Aid has information on how to cover your tracks online. 

In November 2025 new amendments to the Crime and Policing Bill were introduced to target online abuse and pornography and to protect for women and girls. Online spaces are the ‘town square’ of modern life, they provide vital social connections and access to public debate, and we need to ensure they are safe for women and girls to access. 

Learn how to use reporting tools on social platforms – and report an abusive post or account that you’ve seen online. 

The digital world should be a safe space for everyone. Find out what the UN says about the issue globally and the work we need to do help protect all women and girls.