Nonconsensual images and online abuse affect one in eight women in public life

Fully 12% of women human rights defenders, activists, journalists and other public communicators have non-consensually had their personal images shared, including intimate or sexual content. UN Women and TheNerve released the findings ahead of World Press Freedom Day on May 3, adding that “such abuse is often deliberate and coordinated, designed to silence women in public life while undermining their professional credibility and personal reputations.” The report says 24.7% of women journalists and media workers surveyed have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression connected to the online violence they’ve experienced. The report is the second installment in “The Tipping Point” series and notes that “AI is making abuse easier and more damaging.”