Digital Violence: Why It Matters in 2025
By Tanvir Ali
It’s 2025, and our lives are more online than ever. Social media connects us with friends, family, and even strangers across the world. Businesses grow through e-commerce, and influencers like Molly Mae reach millions. But while the internet brings us together, it also brings new dangers one of the biggest is technology-facilitated violence or better known as digital violence.
What is Digital Violence?
The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) frames “cyber violence against women and girls” as not just virtual acts, but as part of a continuum: digital and offline violence are increasingly interwoven.
Digital violence is when people use technology like social media, messaging apps, or even AI to harm others. This can include bullying, harassment, sharing private images without consent, or creating fake sexual images using AI. Because we’re so connected, it’s almost impossible to escape this kind of abuse. Many people don’t understand how serious digital violence is, and the justice system often struggles to keep up.
Who Does It Affect Most?
Letelier & Fraijo (2023, Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice) emphasise that digital violence is structurally gendered. Many forms disproportionately affect women, LGBTQ+ people, and ethnic minorities, rooted in existing power inequalities. Digital violence can happen to anyone, but it’s worse for women, LGBTQ+ people, and ethnic minorities. Studies show that women and girls are much more likely to be targeted, especially with sexual harassment and hate speech. Young people and those from minority backgrounds are also at higher risk. For example, more than 1 in 10 women in the UK have faced online abuse, and the number is even higher for younger and LGBTQ+ women.
Real-Life Examples
One of the most famous cases was “Gamergate,” where women in the gaming industry faced massive online harassment, including threats and stalking, just for speaking out. In the UK, revenge porn is a growing problem among teenagers. Over half of teens have seen friends share nude images, and many have been victims themselves. Deepfake pornography is another threat, where fake sexual images are made using AI. Even celebrities like Taylor Swift have been targeted, with fake images spreading quickly online.
Why Is Digital Violence So Harmful?
Digital violence doesn’t just stay online. It can cause anxiety, depression, and isolation. Victims might lose confidence, withdraw from friends, or even face problems at school or work. Sometimes, online abuse leads to real-world attacks. For example, after waves of online hate from the far-right, a brown Sikh woman from Birmingham was sexually assaulted. Digital violence makes the world less safe for everyone, especially those already facing discrimination.
In the UK, revenge porn among teenagers is a serious and growing issue. A case study found that over 50% of UK teens aged 13 to 17 have seen friends share nude images of people they know, while 6% said they had been a victim of non-consensual image sharing. Safeline reports that 28% of under-18s have had their intimate photos misused or received unwanted sexual images. Between 2019 and 2023, more than 500 child victims of revenge porn were reported to UK police. This is not a fringe issue; it is a widespread form of digital sexual violence affecting teenagers. It also shows that harmful patterns of gender inequality, pressure, and coercion found offline are being replicated in digital spaces, where images can spread rapidly and permanently.
What Can We Do About It?
Stopping digital violence requires action from everyone: governments, tech companies, schools, and communities. The UK’s Online Safety Act (2023) is a step forward, but laws need to be enforced and updated to cover new threats like deepfakes. Social media platforms must act faster to remove harmful content and make it easier to report abuse. Schools should teach digital consent, media literacy, and healthy relationships so young people know how to stay safe online. Public campaigns can help challenge the attitudes that fuel online abuse.
Survivors need real support such as counselling, legal help, and quick ways to remove harmful images. Charities that help women, LGBTQ+ people, and minorities must be properly funded. Together, these steps can make the internet a safer place for everyone.
Conclusion
Digital spaces should be places that empower, connect, and uplift us, not environments that endanger, silence, or harm. Recognising digital violence as a collective issue means understanding that none of us are untouched by it, whether as victims, witnesses, or participants in the systems and platforms that shape our online world. Tackling it requires collective action: governments enforcing stronger protections, tech companies designing safe systems, communities challenging harmful norms, and individuals standing up for one another. The task is significant, but not impossible. A safer digital future is within reach if we choose to build it together.