The Internet and technologies have gradually but radically changed people’s daily life — access to information has increased, as well as the possibility, area and speed of information dissemination; Healthcare, defense, economy, education and many other fields have been developed. Technologies are getting more and more embedded in our lives, everyday life and every space we exist in: you will probably rarely find someone who writes letters by hand and sends them by post; or travels with a printed map; Or takes photos with a tape machine and saves them in print. Some people may be sentimental and nostalgic about all this, but we also admit that our daily life has become much easier with the use of modern technology.

The rapid evolution of technology has also played an important role in empowering women, expanding access to education, employment, and contributing to the formation and growth of social movements.

But the more our life is governed by the use of technology and the digital world, the more space and means appear for their abuse, because technological innovations are available not only to us, but also to people who can use this achievement of humanity not for its intended purpose, but for evil purposes.

Because oppression and violence against women is still widespread throughout the world, the Internet and technology are actively used in this process. So active that there is already an appropriate term — technology-based gender-based violence (TFGBV). It is any action committed by information and communication technologies or other digital tools that causes or may cause physical, sexual, psychological, social, political, economic harm or other violation of human rights and freedoms. For example, it can be spreading or sharing information about personal life, photo or video, threatening and blackmailing, cyberbullying, sexual violence on social networks, stalking, inciting hatred and others. All this has a significant impact on the daily life of women and girls, their quality of life, their families and the people around them and, in general, the whole society.

Studies show that the rate of online violence against women worldwide is 85%. 35% of women reported experiencing online violence, 65% know another woman who has been the target of online violence, and 85% report witnessing online violence against women.

“Technology is not the enemy — it is the key to achieving gender equality. Technologies enable sustainable development, economic growth, and access to education and knowledge. It gives voice to those who are not understood. In order to use this power for the development of women’s rights, it is important not to allow technology to be used as a tool of violence”, UNFPA states.

How Can I Protect Myself?

First, remember that it’s not your fault if you’re the target of online violence — violent people don’t need a “reason.” At the same time, you can be prepared to face possible threats by following a few simple tricks.

First, it is important to know what kind of information we give to third parties. It is imperative that you carefully examine the digital platforms you use and understand where you are most vulnerable. You should also be aware of your country’s laws regarding technology-based gender-based violence (FGBV).

Digital security expert Nino Gamisonia shares some tips to help us stay more secure in the digital world. The first, she says, is to realize that any personal information we have can be used against us. For example, a password can be guessed by date of birth because “as humans we tend to use personal information related to us in passwords because it’s easy to remember.”

“It is a wrong approach that “I don’t have any special information and no one cares about me”. Any person’s information is valuable, and personal information is called personal because it should be our goal to protect it,” says Nino.

The next step is to strengthen cyber security — use long and complex passwords that should not be repeated on other accounts, and set up two-step authentication for both personal and professional accounts, whether it’s email, social media or bank accounts.

Password must be at least 15 characters long. Most people, in order to remember these types of passwords, capitalize the first letter and add numbers and special characters to the end, which is not correct. In addition, the password should not contain the names of its owner or loved ones or pets, dates of birth and other information that can be easily guessed. A good password can be a part of a poem or a song, a proverb, for example, “The cat couldn’t get the sausage, it’s Friday today” etc., but following the appropriate rules – for example, you replace a with the @ symbol, i with an exclamation mark or a one etc.,” says Nino.

As for the two-step authentication, according to Nino, it is necessary so that if someone obtains the password, they cannot easily access the accounts. She recommends using Google Authenticator, which is available for both Android and iOS users, for the one-time code, rather than text or email.

According to Nino, it is necessary to have different passwords for all accounts and not to repeat them. If you have access to many different accounts and have trouble remembering many passwords, she recommends Bitwarden, a password manager. You only need to remember the Bitwarden password, the rest of the passwords will be remembered or generated by the app itself, depending on your preference.

In an interview with Aprili Media, a digital security specialist emphasizes that “whatever you do on the Internet, you leave traces everywhere.”

“This is called a digital footprint. For example, you enter somewhere, load something, register somewhere, and one day it turns out that a lot of information about you is available, which can be used against you.

Nino advises us to be careful about posting photos and information on social networks, including closed groups or chats. Her recommendation is “if you don’t want to say something publicly, don’t post it on social networks, even in a closed group.”

“Probably, we all know at least one person, about whom you can find out absolutely everything if you look at their Facebook page: where they work, where they studied, who are their family members, what they do in the morning, what they do in the evening, etc. This information can be used very easily by someone, including for the purpose of gender-based violence.”

In addition, Nino shares some simple tips to keep in mind to help us stay more secure. For example:

• For correspondence, use the Signal application and set the function of automatic deletion of messages;
• You must set up two-step authentication in any messenger so that no one else can sign up using your name or number.
• If you enjoy sexting, it’s important not to show your face or other identifying marks, such as tattoos, when sharing a photo or video;
• If you are going to, say, a rally where there is a threat of arrest or violence against you, set a unique password on your mobile, not a fingerprint or Face ID;
• When downloading any app, be aware of what data it requests access to. Sometimes it is realized by logical exclusion that some applications require access to such data that it does not need for proper functioning. For example, a pharmacy or supermarket app does not need access to our contacts;
• Both the mobile and the computer must have an updated operating system;
• Do not open unknown links and, especially, do not enter your data there;
• To protect privacy and encrypt traffic, it is recommended to use a VPN;
• We should refrain from downloading untrusted applications;
• If someone uses TFGBV against you, on the one hand, you should complain on a specific social network, but also contact the police and organizations that can help you. The social network may not respond immediately because they have many complaints, but the mechanism we have at our disposal must be used.

In addition, various specialists recommend that you periodically search for your first and last name in the Google search engine, where you will see what type of information is stored about you. For example, is there an address, phone number or other personal information. You can use this method for phone number as well. If you discover that your personal information is publicly available, you can ask Google to remove it from search results using this form.

In case you become a target of online gender-based violence, save all information: screenshots, sounds, videos, etc. Make sure these materials are stored safely and in several different spaces. All this can be evidence if you decide to contact a special investigative service.

It is important to assess the potential threats and whether you are protected against them – how realistic are the threats? How much has this happened to you personally, by name, last name, place or time of attack? Are they using a real identity, phone number, email address, or a fictitious one to make threats? Has the threat moved to other platforms or gone beyond the online space?

Some specialists also advise us not to give “food” to trolls – carefully analyze whether you will respond to them and specifically – what. Remember that their goal is to engage you in a discussion. If you decide to answer, it is better to spread factual information, neutralize misinformation. It’s also important to consider context — would you enter a discussion if you knew you were talking to a bot?

Finally, remember that the goal of gender-based violence is to isolate you — in fact, you are not alone. Seek support from family, friends, work, and relevant professionals.

“I would tell women and girls that first of all, the most important thing is that your accounts are well protected, and secondly, don’t be afraid of anything. There are organizations that can help you legally, you can go to the police. Never be afraid to present yourself or express your thoughts,” says Nino Gamisonia.

If you are being abused or if you have information about the abuse of another person, you can contact the Special Investigation Service.

• You can request anonymity on the free, 24-hour hotline — 199
• Hotline, which operates to provide advisory services to citizens — 116 006
• Sapari — 599 407 603
• Anti-Violence Network of Georgia – 032 272 67 17
• Center for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims (GCRT) – 032 222 06 89;
• Also, on the Safe YOU forum “Gender violence in the online space”, you can get information and advice from professionals about online violence.

In addition, you can download the 112 application and the Sapari application (Safe YOU) in your mobile phone. Both of them have an SOS button, as well as other important features that allow you to track your location, record the voice of the abuser, etc.