Cyber abuse drives women offline

Online harassment, bullying, identity theft and image-based abuse are increasingly threatening women’s safety and participation in digital spaces in Bangladesh, with nearly half of women surveyed reporting technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), according to a new study.

Around 45.5 per cent of respondents experienced such violence, while 34.2 per cent faced two or more overlapping forms of abuse and 14.8 per cent reported three or more, the study revealed.

The findings were presented on Thursday at a discussion titled ‘Abuse Beyond the Screen: A Study on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence in Bangladesh’ at Sufia Kamal Bhaban in Dhaka.

The study also cited 2025 data from the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) and UNFPA, which showed that 8.3 per cent of women surveyed had experienced TFGBV at some point in their lives.

Bangladesh Mahila Parishad and Digitally Right Limited jointly conducted the research with support from the Embassy of Sweden.

Abdullah Titir, head of researc

h at Digitally Right Limited, and Afroja Arman, senior training and research officer at Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, presented the findings.

The mixed-method study, conducted from January 7 to 13, covered 521 women and girls aged 15 and above in Dhaka, Chattogram, Barishal, Rajshahi and Sylhet. It also included four key-informant interviews and eight in-depth interviews with survivors.

Among active internet users surveyed, 63.7 per cent reported experiencing technology-facilitated violence, while 57.4 per cent faced such abuse in the previous 12 months.

Harassment and gender-based abuse accounted for the largest share at 52.7 per cent, followed by economic exploitation and fraud at 37.1 per cent, sexual and image-based abuse at 24.5 per cent, and identity misuse or abuse involving fake IDs at 17.3 per cent.

Young women were particularly vulnerable, with 49 per cent of respondents aged 15 to 24 reporting such experiences. The prevalence was even higher among university-educated women, reaching 76.7 per cent.

Although 71 per cent of respondents were active internet users, 67 per cent had never received formal online safety guidance or training.

Facebook and Messenger emerged as major platforms for abuse, with 39.7 per cent reporting violence on Messenger and 36.7 per cent on Facebook. Among those who reported incidents to the platforms, 56 per cent said no action had been taken.

Access to justice also remained limited. Only 4.6 per cent of survivors reported abuse to the police, and 81.8 per cent of those complainants said their cases had made little or no progress.

The consequences often extended beyond the digital sphere. Following abuse, 21.1 per cent of survivors reduced their social media use out of fear, 20.7 per cent curtailed their online participation, and 4.6 per cent were forced to change their place of study, workplace or residence.

Sayema Chowdhury, an independent consultant and member of the research team, described the problem as structural, warning that online violence was evolving alongside technological advancements.

“The forms of cyber violence are changing as fast as technology is advancing,” she said, adding that online abuse frequently spills over into women’s offline lives.

Liza Sharmin, additional deputy commissioner of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police’s Women Support and Investigation Division, said law enforcement agencies faced difficulties identifying offenders operating through fake accounts, preserving digital evidence and accessing forensic facilities.

“When a mobile phone is sent to a digital forensic lab, it takes at least three months,” she said, calling for specialised training and stronger forensic capacity outside the capital.

Miraj Ahmed Chowdhury, founder and managing director of Digitally Right Limited, said technology had created new opportunities for women but had also exposed them to growing risks. Such abuse sometimes forced women in public-facing roles to censor themselves or withdraw from online spaces.

Fowzul Azim, a legal analyst, researcher and retired senior district judge, called for greater accountability from digital platforms, including Bangla-language terms of service, accessible reporting mechanisms and stronger safety support.

Dr Fowzia Moslem, president of Bangladesh Mahila Parishad, urged the presentation of the study’s recommendations to relevant stakeholders.

“As long as gender inequality remains, new forms of violence will continue to emerge,” she said.

The study recommended reforming the Cyber Security Act 2026, expanding digital forensic facilities beyond Dhaka, ensuring trauma-informed and gender-responsive responses, and strengthening support for survivors.

It also called on digital platforms to introduce Bangla-language safety tools, simplified complaint procedures and mechanisms for the emergency removal of abusive content.