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New Research Finds Women and Gender-Diverse People More Likely to Be Targeted Online 👩🏼👩🏿

Tuesday, 01 April 2025 10:06.AM

- Data from the Canadian Women's Foundation found more than 60% of women and gender-diverse people have experienced digital harm -

The Canadian Women's Foundation released Challenging Gendered Digital Harm, first of its kind research in Canada, that looks at how people, particularly women and gender-diverse people, experience online harm in Canada, including policy recommendations to address the urgent need for action.

"Women, girls, and gender-diverse people deserve to fully engage in online spaces without fear of being targeted for who they are," said Mitzie Hunter, President and CEO of the Canadian Women's Foundation. "We can't allow women and gender-diverse people to be intimidated and silenced in online spaces critical to public discourse. The status quo is not acceptable. Decision makers, digital platforms, and our communities need to work together to create safer digital spaces while protecting rights and democracy."

The Foundation's research makes it clear that gendered digital harm is a barrier for women, girls and gender-diverse people to fully participate in the digital world and is an urgent issue requiring policy attention.

Some of the research findings revealed:

• Over 60% of women, girls and gender-diverse people in Canada have experienced gendered digital harm.
• Driven by the rise of technology-facilitated violence, including harassment, unwanted sexual images, and identity-based abuse, 70% of this harm occurred in the past three years alone.
• The report underscores the disproportionate targeting of Black, Indigenous, racialized, 2SLGBTQIA+, young people (18-25) and people with disabilities who face higher rates.

Most (56%) of women and gender-diverse people in Canada think online content threatening physical violence against women and gender-diverse people is increasing. The report also reveals that 71% of women and gender-diverse people in Canada view social media spaces as public spaces.

With these findings, the report points to a need to recognize social media as a public space where safety is addressed with the same urgency and accountability as violence in physical public spaces.

"Online spaces are a growing part of our daily lives, and meaningful action is needed to end gender-based harm where so many people connect, work, and express themselves," added Hunter.

To provide immediate support and tools, the Canadian Women's Foundation has created Reclaim Your Digital Space, an online course, to give people in Canada practical strategies and resources to develop digital literacy, engage safely in digital spaces, and help end gendered digital harm.

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