The report states that such actions are being taken with the aim of silencing women in public life and reducing their professional credibility and personal respect.
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A new study by UN Women has found that online violence against women journalists and human rights defenders is on the rise. The report, titled ‘Tipping Point: Online Violence Impacts Manifestation and Redress in the AI Age’, is part of a larger study into how online violence is limiting women’s participation in public life in the AI age. The report was produced by researchers from the Nerves Information Integrity Initiative and City St George’s, University of London, in collaboration with the International Centre for Journalists and UNESCO. The report was written by Dr. Julie Posetti, Kaylee Williams, Dr. Lia Hellmuller, Dr. Pauline Reyna, Nabilah Shabbir, and Dr. Narmin Aboulez.
The report interviewed 641 female journalists, media workers, activists and human rights activists from 119 countries. In the process, 27 percent of women said they had received sexual advances or obscene messages on their messengers. They said they had. 12 percent said they had received private and obscene photos on their messengers without prior consent. 6 percent said they had been victims of images and photos created using deepfakes or AI.
The report states that such violence is being carried out in an organized and strategic manner with the aim of reducing women's credibility, silencing them and reducing public participation.
The report was released by UN Women on the eve of World Press Freedom Day. The report concludes that such abuses are coordinated. The report states that such actions are being taken with the aim of silencing women in public life and reducing their professional credibility and personal respect. 'The impact of this is already being seen.
The situation for women journalists and media workers is even more worrying. In 2025, 41 percent of journalists said they had to self-censor on social media. Nearly 22 percent said they were forced to self-censor their work due to digital violence.
Complaints filed by women journalists and media workers with legal authorities have also increased. In 2020, about 11 percent had filed complaints with the police against online violence. In 2025, this number was 22 percent. This shows the growing demand for awareness and accountability.
This type of violence is seriously affecting the health and overall well-being of women.
About a quarter (24.7 percent) of the female journalists and media workers surveyed said they had experienced anxiety or depression related to online violence. About 13 percent had post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
'AI is making abuse easier and more widespread.' "It has played a role in fueling misogyny in a context where democracy is weakening. It is eroding hard-won rights. It is our responsibility to create systems, laws and platforms that can act quickly to address the challenges this crisis demands," said Kaliopi Mingeru, head of UN Women's Violence Against Women Unit.
UN Women said there remains a huge gap in legal protections against online violence. Last year, the World Bank reported that fewer than 40 percent of countries had laws in place to protect women from cyberbullying.
It was estimated that 44 percent of women and girls worldwide (1.8 billion) lack access to legal protection.
The study was produced with the support of the European Union under UN Women's Violence Against Women Programme.
