Over the last decade, a new threat to democracy has emerged in the form of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV). While women in politics and LGBTQI+ people have long faced barriers to their participation in public life rooted in unequal gender norms, the scale and spread of TFGBV poses a significant threat to democracies worldwide because of its silencing and chilling effects.

Political parties have a primary role to play in tackling online violence against women and gender diverse politicians. While the prevalence and impact of TFGBV, such as coordinated disinformation campaigns, deepfake image-based sexual abuse or trolling are well documented, many parties are still building their knowledge on how to respond effectively and have not put in place internal practices and policies that respond to the rapidly evolving, poorly regulated digital ecosystem.  

Report by the Overseas Development Institute