Join us online with Digital Rights Activist-Shmyla Khan (Digital Rights Foundation) as we discuss violence faced by women on various online platforms.
Technological progress has driven commercial, social and political activities online. The internet has become a critical space for people to voice their opinions, organize, socialize and educate themselves. As we seamlessly travel between online and offline worlds, it is important to ensure a safe space online for marginalized populations to promote freedom of expression and safeguard dignity and equality. Yet the problem of online violence and harassment is often overlooked in discussions of violence against women.
Research shows that women are specifically targeted by cyber violence and that age and gender are significant factors in the prevalence of cyber violence. Young women are particularly under threat of sexual harassment and stalking. Moreover, violence online does not have to be experienced directly to leave an impact. The effects of online violence are just as real.
Through this discussion we will discuss the role of culture and society that may propagate violence.
About the speaker
Shmyla Khan is a Pakistani Activist, currently working at Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) as the Program and Research Manager. She was initially the Project Head of DRF's Cyber Harassment Helpline. She earned her graduate degree in Legislative Law from Lahore University of Management Sciences in Pakistan and done her Master in Law (LLM) from University of Michigan in the USA. She has also taught courses on law, technology and gender at Beaconhouse National University, Lahore.