Alert Issued on the Dangers of Virtual Violence

The multiple forms of virtual harassment suffered by women, adolescents, and minors worldwide remain a pressing concern due to their severe potential consequences.

Trolling, doxing, deepfakes, grooming, and cyberbullying are five common forms of digital violence, according to a BBC article.

These scourges cause proven harm, ranging from posting intentionally provocative or offensive messages online to annoy someone, to the disclosure of private information, and videos, images, or audio clips created with artificial intelligence to appear real.

Through grooming, aggressors can use internet platforms to establish a relationship of trust with a minor and abuse them, which can occur online, or the aggressor may arrange an in-person meeting with the child with the intent to abuse them.

According to UNESCO, with the rapid advances of the digital world and artificial intelligence, students are increasingly exposed to the risks of online violence and technology-facilitated violence.

Approximately 58 percent of girls and young women face online harassment, while students belonging to minority and migrant communities suffer disproportionately from online hate and exclusion.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations' specialized agency for digital technologies, notes that around six billion people use the internet worldwide, and 280 million more men than women were connected this year, cited the BBC.

Women, girls, and gender-nonconforming people are more likely to be victims of violence and suffer more severe and lasting consequences due to their gender, according to UN reports.