By Maktoob
Reports of online violence against women journalists have doubled since 2020, with serious impacts on their health and well-being, according to a study published ahead of World Press Freedom Day marked annually on 3 May.
The report by UN Women and partners highlights how online violence targeting women in public life is increasingly becoming more technologically sophisticated, invasive and damaging in the artificial intelligence (AI) era.
“AI is making abuse easier and more damaging, and this is fueling the erosion of hard-won rights in a context marked by democratic backsliding and networked misogyny,” said Kalliopi Mingerou, who leads the agency’s team working to end violence against women.
Intimate photos leaked
Tipping point: Online violence impacts, manifestations and redress in the AI age is based on a 2025 survey, with 641 participants from 119 countries responding.
The findings revealed that 12 per cent of women human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other media workers have experienced non-consensual sharing of personal images, including intimate or sexual content.
Six per cent have been victims of “deepfakes” – AI-generated images that look real – while one in three have received unsolicited sexual advances online.
This story was originally published in maktoobmedia.com. Read the full story here.
