This article has been brought to you by Slough Borough Council for the attention of all schools.
Refuge and the End Violence Against Women coalition (EVAW) have published a new report examining the scale, nature and impact of online violence against women and girls (VAWG) in the UK. Findings from a survey of 2,000 women and girls aged 16 and over include: 36% reported experiencing some form of online violence, rising to 47% amongst women aged 16-24-years-old. Those in the 16-24-year age group reported higher levels of harm across every category measured, with 38% reporting experiences of misogyny and sexual violence online; 30% reporting experiences of harms suggestive of coercive control, stalking, monitoring or harassment; and 31% reporting image-based sexual abuse. Recommendations include making Ofcom’s guidance on VAWG legally enforceable, introducing mandatory safety by design standards for online services, and establishing robust AI regulation that prioritises the safety of women and girls.
Read the report: Refuge x EVAW report reveals shocking scale of online misogyny and abuse