What is Technology Facilitated Gender-Based Violence?
Smart technology like phones, watches, and home devices can make our lives easier, connect us to distant friends and family, and provide entertainment. But increasingly, they are also being misused by abusers to harass, monitor, stalk and control women, girls, and gender diverse people. We call this kind of abuse technology facilitated gender-based violence, or TFGBV.
An animated video from Women’s Shelters Canada describing technology facilitated gender-based violence.
Who experiences tfgbv?
Although it can happen to anyone, technology facilitated gender-based violence disproportionately affects women. According to a 2018 survey conducted by Stats Canada, women were significantly more likely than men to report having experienced unwanted online behaviour in the previous 12 months—18% versus 14%. In that same survey,
33% of women between the ages of 15 and 24;
30% of Indigenous women and
50% of bisexual women surveyed said that they had experienced online harassment in the previous 12 months.
The United Nations has identified that TFGBV is a real problem on a global scale; by its very nature, this kind of violence is able to expand beyond borders and can have far-reaching consequences. People are revictimized every time something is shared online, and it can be difficult to put a stop to it.
For women and gender diverse people who are marginalized in other ways, including being BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, or people of colour), those living with disabilities, or who are a part of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community, the effects of online violence are multiplied. People with these intersecting identities are “doubly targeted” and have a higher risk of violence and discrimination both online and in real life. (Canadian Women’s Foundation). Also at higher risk are women who are immigrants, refugees, or non-status, young women, and those living in rural or remote communities (Women’s Shelters Canada).
What does it look like?
TFGBV can take many forms. Let’s talk about some of the most common forms, and how they might show up in your life.
Harassment is any repeated behaviour that causes mental or emotional suffering. In TFGBV, that might look like receiving persistent, abusive, or threatening messages through text, email, or online social media platforms like Facebook, WhatsApp, or Snapchat.
It also includes continually being tagged in posts on social media, and receiving abusive comments on your own posts.
Stalking, also called criminal harassment, happens when a person is being followed, watched, communicated with, or subjected to any form of behaviour from another person that makes them fear for their safety or the safety of others.
Abusers may misuse things like location sharing, GPS, and “find my friends” applications to track your movements or follow you from place to place. If it seems like your abuser knows where you are at any given time, they may be using these kinds of technologies to stalk you.
They may also track your movements through posts you make on social media, or posts made by friends or family that include mention of you. They may use webcams or hidden cameras to watch you at home, work, or elsewhere in your daily life.
Persistent messaging and commenting on your social media pages are also considered stalking.
Along with stalking, TFGBV also includes monitoring, surveillance, and location tracking. This might be happening if your abuser has forced you to share your passwords with them. They may be logging into your phone, email or social media accounts to monitor your activity.
An abuser may also give location tracking devices to your children in the form of an AirTag or Tile, or through various smart phone apps, or be able to monitor certain online activities through cloud sharing services.
Impersonation, the act of pretending to be someone else to deceive or commit fraud, is common in TFGBV because of how easy it is for an abuser to hide their identity through creating fake accounts.
If your friends, family members, or employers have been receiving messages that appear to come from you but didn’t, or if you receive communications from strangers responding to ads that you didn’t post, this may be a sign of TFGBV.
An abuser may also impersonate a new friend or potential partner in your life as a way to continue connecting with you.
Another form of TFGBV is the sharing of intimate images without consent, where an abuser posts intimate and private images or videos of you online or shares them directly with friends or family without your consent. This is an abuse tactic meant to shame, embarrass, or discredit you.
Doxing occurs when personally identifying information such as the physical address of your home or workplace, your phone number, email address or SIN number is posted online without your consent, and is another common form of TFGBV.
what are the effects?
Technology facilitated gender-based violence often occurs alongside other forms of abuse, in particular, emotional abuse, threats and extortion, and stalking. The harms caused by TFGBV are just as real and severe as those of in-person violence. These can include:
physical effects of stress-related illnesses like depression, anxiety, and PTSD;
psychological and emotional effects such as feelings of shame and fear, and a loss of dignity and/or social standing;
financial effects of having to replace devices, pay for online protection services, seek legal support, or suffering professional consequences
TFGBV also has a silencing effect on women and gender diverse people. Folks experiencing this kind of violence may become isolated from their friends, family, and wider community as a protective measure, because they’re forced to delete their social media accounts, or are unable to afford replacing their devices and so have to go without them.
what can you do?
If you or someone you know is experiencing TFGBV, first of all, know that you are not alone. This kind of behaviour is abuse, and it is not okay.
If you see or are experiencing harassment online, you can start by reporting the posts to the individual platform, and if it feels safe to do so, block the abuser. However, we know that social media platforms are often slow to respond to online abuse, and that they don’t always do their best to protect victims.
We encourage you to reach out to our support line at 867-993-5086 or book a time to come by and discuss safety planning. There are ways to keep you safe, and we can explore them together.
If you’re not in Dawson City, you can visit sheltersafe.ca to find a shelter or transition home in your area for support.
Women’s Shelters Canada has created an excellent set of toolkits and resources for survivors, including further information on TFGBV and how to secure your devices. Visit techsafety.ca to learn more.