When internet becomes weapon against women

Every time a Kenyan woman withdraws from an online conversation because of harassment, democracy loses a voice. Journalists hesitate to investigate powerful interests. Women leaders reconsider speaking out. Activists retreat from public debate.

Young women conclude that participating online is simply not worth the abuse. This growing phenomenon, often described as "radio silencing", is more than an online safety concern. Digital platforms  have become Kenya's public square. They shape elections, influence public policy, expose corruption, mobilise communities and enable citizens to hold leaders to account.

They have also created unprecedented opportunities for women to lead conversations, build businesses, organise communities and advocate for social change. Yet these same spaces are increasingly being weaponised to intimidate, shame and silence women, undermining the promise of an inclusive digital society.

The evidence is difficult to ignore. A recent Gap Analysis on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) in Kenya by CRAWN Trust found that approximately 95 per cent of aggressive online behaviour and denigrating digital imagery disproportionately targets women. It also found that up to 60 per cent of women leaders, journalists, activists and students have reduced or abandoned digital participation because of sustained harassment, threats and reputational attacks.

TFGBV takes many forms, including cyberstalking, coordinated harassment, non-consensual sharing of intimate images, AI-generated deepfakes, online sexual exploitation and other forms of digital abuse intended to intimidate, shame or silence women. Those most frequently targeted are often women whose voices matter most in public life, including politicians, journalists, academics, civil society leaders, students and entrepreneurs. The objective is rarely just to insult them. It is to force them out of public conversation.

The consequences extend well beyond social media. Kenya's ambition to be a regional digital leader depends on women participating fully in innovation, entrepreneurship, governance and civic life. Yet persistent online abuse pushes many women to self-censor, abandon professional opportunities or withdraw from digital platforms altogether. Every woman forced out of these spaces represents a loss of talent, innovation and leadership that the country can ill afford.

The impact is particularly evident during elections and other moments of national debate, when digital platforms have become central to democratic participation. If women are driven from these spaces by intimidation and abuse, Kenya loses perspectives that are essential to informed public debate, accountable leadership and inclusive decision making.

The consequences of TFGBV also extend beyond the digital world. The report notes that Kenya recorded 579 femicide cases in 2024, many reportedly preceded by online threats, stalking or coercive digital abuse. While not every online threat results in physical violence, these patterns illustrate that digital abuse and offline violence often exist on the same continuum. Responding early to online abuse is therefore not only a matter of digital safety but also an important step in preventing more serious forms of violence.

The Gap Analysis also found that Kenya's legal framework has not kept pace with the rapid evolution of digital technologies. Although constitutional protections for dignity, privacy, equality and freedom of expression remain essential, Kenya still lacks a comprehensive legal framework specifically addressing TFGBV. Existing legislation provides limited protection against emerging forms of abuse such as AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic media, while the suspension of key provisions of the Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act has exposed enforcement gaps that leave survivors inadequately protected.

The challenge is not only legal but institutional. The analysis found that 78 per cent of survivors did not know where to report incidents of TFGBV. Weak institutional coordination, limited digital forensic capacity, fragmented reporting pathways and the absence of survivor-centred response mechanisms continue to delay justice. Harmful content can spread across multiple platforms within minutes, yet victims are often left navigating slow and confusing reporting systems with little certainty that meaningful action will be taken.

These barriers are even greater for children, adolescents, women with disabilities, women in rural and marginalised communities and women in public leadership, who experience digital abuse in different ways and often face additional obstacles when seeking support. Effective responses must recognise these intersecting vulnerabilities by ensuring that laws, reporting mechanisms and support services are accessible, inclusive and responsive to the reality’s different groups face.

Kenya cannot build an inclusive digital future while allowing intimidation to determine who participates in online public life. Parliament should modernise the legal framework to explicitly recognise TFGBV, address AI-generated abuse and strengthen digital investigations. Institutions must improve coordination, invest in digital forensic capacity, establish survivor-centred reporting mechanisms and strengthen public awareness so survivors know where to seek help. Technology companies must also respond quickly to harmful content and prioritise user safety.

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