Last March, UN Women Representative in Lebanon Rachel Dore-Weeks stated that female candidates to the parliamentary elections in Lebanon faced different forms of “digital harassment” compared to their male counterparts. She further explained that the “feelings of insecurity” experienced by women “discourage them from engaging in politics or competing in elections.”
According to statistics gathered by Lebanon’s Internal Security Forces (ISF) and obtained by SMEX, digital violence against women in Lebanon is on the rise, with a shocking number of cases being reported. The statistics show that between 2020 and 2023, 80% of the targets of digital violence were women, compared to 20% for men.
Digital violence is as harmful to women as the aggression they endure in the real world. Anonymity plays a key role in the widespread occurrence of this phenomenon. Facilitated by technology, gender-based violence targets women, journalists, feminist activists, and academics in particular, given the nature of their work or their presence on certain websites used for information or services.
The ISF statistics also indicate that the percentage of complaints documented through their “Reporting” service in the past two years has risen. In 2022, 70% of reports were filed by women, and in 2023, that figure stood at 67%. Additionally, a security source told SMEX that a large number of those complaints are filed by Lebanese women living abroad who have been subjected to digital blackmail. In 2022, 82 people were detained and charged with committing cybercrimes against women, in addition to 71 others in 2023, according to the same source.
New technology creates new tools for violence
According to a UN Women study, digital violence can take several forms, including cyber tracking, which uses technology to stalk someone and monitor their activity and behavior. This includes monitoring someone’s location and activity using tracking devices, spyware, and cameras that can access emails, call history, and SMS messages, as well as stalking them on dating apps. Hacking into personal accounts is also one of the main forms of digital violence, in addition to revenge pornography, where women’s private photographs are published without their consent.
In an interview with SMEX, journalist and social media expert Fatima Choukeir said that human and technological advancements have created new ways to abuse women instead of helping put an end to this phenomenon.
Both the government and relevant rights organizations have attempted to establish controls and legal frameworks to regulate the digital realm. Choukeir explained that “serious efforts have been made to issue laws and regulations, but statistics show that digital violence is on the rise, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic where a high number of digital violence cases was reported in our region. During this time, women faced unprecedented levels of digital harassment and blackmail.”
The past year was rife with cases of violence on social media. In this context, Choukeir mentioned some figures issued by the UN that show that nearly half of the women in the SWANA region who used the internet faced digital threats. Facebook had the largest share of digital violence cases, with 40-50% of cases being reported there, followed by Instagram and TikTok. According to Choukeir, 30-40% of women reported that the digital violence they experienced had offline consequences as well.
Suppression of freedom and digital exclusion
Digital violence against women restricts their freedom of expression and their ability to participate in digital spaces, which have long been their only outlet amid repression from their country’s authoritarian regimes. Ghiwa Nasr, a feminist activist and digital security and protection trainer, told SMEX that “Oppression and women’s exclusion from online spaces have a serious impact, as they deny women the right to use modern technologies that are essential for development and access to information and knowledge.”
“The internet and social media have become irreplaceable, and women have the right to access them and benefit from the services they offer. This right should be enshrined in conventions, local laws, and the policies of international social media companies,” Nasr said.
“This is especially true amid the lack of international and local efforts regarding the rise in digital violence and blackmail and the focus of tech giants on making massive profits from data with no regard for the privacy of users, particularly women.”
Approximately 650 digital violence cases were reported to the SMEX Digital Safety Helpdesk in 2023, 135 of which targeted women. These mainly included cases of online harassment, blackmail, misinformation, and account hacking.
In 2023, the Helpdesk addressed 71 cases of online violence against women, 40% of which were related to account hacking. According to Samar Al-Halal, SMEX Digital Security Helpdesk Manager and Technology Unit Lead, these figures represent “a strong indication of an increase in hacking women’s social media accounts.”
“The Helpdesk has developed support strategies and programs to address the various forms of digital violence, and it offers relevant advice and guidance for targets,” Al-Halal added.
Local initiatives to address the issue
Existing reporting mechanisms might not encourage women to lodge complaints. Lack of trust in government agencies, the near-total absence of the rule of law and justice, violations of citizens’ right to freedom of expression, and the way security forces handle cases of violence against women are all reasons listed in testimonies gathered by rights organizations.
In the past year, Lebanon witnessed a multifaceted repression campaign that undermined the freedom of opinion and expression and tightened the grip on female journalists and rights activists. This included cases of systematic violence and arrests targeting male and female activists, journalists, and even comedians, all of which have discouraged women from reporting violations and asking for help.
“The government’s current technical capabilities do not enable it to identify perpetrators and hold them accountable due to the poor or lacking infrastructure that would allow the Cybersecurity Bureau to keep up with the increasing cases of digital violence,” Nasr told SMEX.
The main targets of digital violence are girls and teenagers, who need more resources to aid them in addressing online harassment, according to Nasr. Feminist organizations help raise awareness of the dangers of digital violence against women and how to deal with such cases and report them.
FE-MALE Feminist Collective launched a campaign called “Screens Do Not Protect” in February to raise awareness and announce its new helpline that will receive complaints and offer legal support to survivors of digital violence.
The different forms of digital violence against women in Lebanon are on the rise. This often leads to consequences beyond digital spaces, including defamation, physical violence, or even murder. Judicial rulings, even when they are issued, are insufficient. Amid this reality, can women trust the government and the security institutions to support them with these incidents?
Below are some pieces of advice given by Al-Halal that could help targets of digital violence, particularly women:
- Choose a strong and unique password for each account and update it regularly.
- Enable two-factor authentication on all accounts.
- Avoid emails and messages claiming to be from social media companies or clicking on any links you receive whose origin is unknown.
- Update your phone’s operating system and applications regularly to address potential security issues.
- Avoid sharing sensitive information with strangers.
- Report the digital incidents you face to the competent authorities or platforms.
If you are a target of a cyberattack, please email the SMEX Digital Safety Helpdesk via helpdesk@smex.org or contact us on Signal or WhatsApp via 0096181633133.
*Illustration by Fatima Hassan
