Digital dreams, dark realities: Young women struggle with rising online abuse in Africa
A young African woman using a graphic tablet at desk in office.
What you need to know:
- Young African women increasingly face cyberbullying, harassment, and stalking as digital platforms expand opportunities and risks simultaneously online.
- New report reveals technology-facilitated gender violence disproportionately harms young women, prompting urgent calls for stronger protections and support.
When Branice Okanga ventured into content creation, all she hoped for was to earn a living. The possibility of encountering online gender-based violence never crossed her mind. However, she soon realised things were not as rosy as she had imagined. Each time she posted content on TikTok and Facebook, she faced cyberbullying from some followers.
Branice, a content creator based in Vihiga, says the attacks became so persistent that they began to affect her emotionally. She struggled to understand why strangers who did not know her personally would target her, often criticising her physical appearance. Over time, the harassment escalated into cyberstalking.
“I have been a victim of cyberbullying. Most of the time when I post content on TikTok and Facebook, some followers make fun of my shortness. They leave hurtful comments criticising my physical appearance.”
Although the online attacks often cause emotional distress, Branice says they have not dampened her determination to earn a living through social media. She urges other women not to succumb to online threats and intimidation, which can derail their dreams.
Branice’s experience mirrors that of many young African women, according to findings from a new report by Paradigm Initiative. The study shows that young women across Africa bear the brunt of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), with 67 per cent of respondents reporting direct victimisation.
In the survey titled Clicks That Hurt, survivors—most aged between 18 and 34—described psychological harm, withdrawal from public life, and institutional failures that leave them without adequate support. Many resort to self-censorship, abandoning platforms or relying only on close friends and family. Meanwhile, Africa’s digital transformation has created new opportunities for innovation, participation and inclusion.
Yet as digital platforms become central to communication and public life, they have also become spaces where gendered discrimination and violence are reproduced and amplified. TFGBV has emerged as a major threat to gender equality, freedom of expression and digital rights. Survey data analysis shows younger users are disproportionately affected.
Among 276 respondents, those aged 25–34 were most affected, with 105 reporting digital abuse. This was followed by the 18–24 age group, accounting for 99 cases, highlighting the heightened vulnerability of young adults. Overall, the data reflects a predominantly young demographic experiencing digital violence, suggesting that online visibility and engagement increase exposure to abuse.
Only nine respondents were aged 55 and above, indicating either lower digital participation among older adults or underreporting within this age group. Reported experiences ranged from sexual harassment and misogynistic attacks to severe violations such as stalking, non-consensual image sharing, hacking, sextortion and identity-based harassment.
Personal testimonies reveal profound emotional, psychological and reputational harm. Platforms most frequently implicated include Facebook, WhatsApp and X (formerly Twitter), suggesting that mainstream social media spaces remain structurally unsafe for many users, especially women and activists.
The study examined gendered patterns of TFGBV across Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, Senegal, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Women were disproportionately affected: 182 women compared to 93 men reported experiencing digital abuse, underscoring the feminisation of online violence.
Reporting patterns revealed mixed outcomes. While 56 per cent of respondents were aware of platform reporting mechanisms, only 42 per cent used them. A significant proportion (38.8 per cent) said they received no meaningful support. Many survivors resorted to self-censorship, withdrawing from platforms or relying solely on personal networks.
Fear and mistrust
Most respondents said formal systems such as police, employers and institutions were underutilised due to fear, mistrust or expectations of inaction. Awareness of national laws addressing TFGBV was uneven: 47.5 per cent reported knowledge, 41.3 per cent were unaware, and 10.9 per cent were unsure. Even among those aware, concerns about access and enforcement remained.
To address the growing menace, the National Police Service recently launched an initiative through Policare, in partnership with the Centre for Rights Education and Awareness and Search for Common Ground. The programme aims to strengthen institutional capacity to respond to digital violence.
The module includes occupational standards, curriculum content, assessment tools and a trainer’s guide on digital abuse. Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja says it will reinforce prevention and response efforts to sexual and gender-based violence. The move comes amid rising cases of TFGBV.
Read: Tech-fuelled violence: Why women are unsafe in digital spaces and struggle silently with scars
He described the partnership as a significant step towards improving service delivery within the police service. “The training-of-trainers model advances the NPS commitment to service excellence. Security is a shared responsibility, with police as primary providers,” he said.
Creaw executive director Wangechi Wachira welcomed the collaboration, saying the resources are designed to enhance the NPS’s ability to address digital violence effectively.
Zipporah Nderitu, a senior superintendent of police and the brains behind Policare, describes the module as one of the most comprehensive victim-centred policing responses in Africa. She notes that TFGBV leaves lasting digital scars and disproportionately targets women, girls, activists and survivors of previous abuse, making it a defining challenge of modern sexual violence.
“It’s the most unique and sought-after curriculum in Africa. Think about the ‘Russian man’ in town, and the strings of stigma and trauma he is leaving behind,” she says.
