On October 16, 2023, Equipop and the Institute for Gender in Geopolitics published a report analyzing the phenomenon of male-perpetrated cyberviolence and issuing a series of recommendations to the European Union and its member states to combat sexist and LGBT-phobic cyberviolence.
Attacks and threats against the rights of women and LGBT people online In Europe, it is estimated that 7 out of 10 women are victims of online violence during their lifetime. However, figures on cyber violence are very difficult to compileand official data is still far from reflecting reality, according to the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. In recent years, there has been an increase in reports of online harassment by feminist and LGBTI+ figures. We must sound the alarm and strongly denounce a phenomenon that is growing with the widespread use of social media: masculinism.
A report to challenge the European Union and its member states The aim of the report is to analyze masculinist movements, and more specifically their online modus operandi: what are their narratives, how do they operate, and how do they use new technologies to attack women and LGBTI+ people? It highlights the role played by Big Tech in the proliferation and dissemination of these narratives online. Finally, the report makes a series of recommendations to the European Union and its member states to counter these movements. With this report, Equipop and the IGG wish to raise awareness of sexist and LGBTIphobic violence online and call on public authorities to address this issue, which is still too often neglected. This publication comes at a strategic moment, both at the EU and French levels, with discussions on the EU directive to combat violence against women on the one hand, and the examination of a French bill to secure the digital space on the other.
Recommendations for combating cyber violence based on gender and LGBTphobia The report makes a series of recommendations to European Union member states and European Union bodies:
- Strengthen and supplement the legal, political, and financial arsenal for combating the continuum of gender-based and sexual violence and hate speech (based on gender identity and sexual orientation).
- Integrate the fight against gender-based and sexual violence and the fight against masculinist discourse into public digital policies.
- Regulate digital and technology multinationals.
- Support and protect feminist and LGBTI+ associations and activists.
- Raise awareness among citizens about masculinist discourse and empower them to defend themselves.
