Panel H.01 — Cyber Gender-based Violence: Navigating the Educational Challenges of our Contemporary Landscape
Convenors Chiara Gius (Università di Bologna, Italy); Angela M. Toffanin (CNR-IRPPS, Italy)
Keywords cyber-violence, gender violence, media-education, prevention
Gender-based violence enabled by digital technology represents a form of violence with potentially significant social, cultural, and economic repercussions (EIGE 2017; EU Parliament 2021; Goulds et al. 2020). To date, this type of violence remains under-researched and under-conceptualized, lacking a unified definition and comprehensive policy approach at the global, EU, and national levels (EIGE 2017; EU Parliament 2021).
Cyber gender-based violence is a form of violence committed against individuals due to their gender identity, employing information and communication technologies in various capacities. ICT-facilitated violence manifests in many forms (EU Parliament 2021) and reproduces traditional systems of inequality prevalent in society (Gius 2021; Henry & Flymm; Jane 2016; 2017; Morahan-Martin 2000). This form of violence encompasses a broad spectrum of practices, intersecting the lives of those who are subjected to it both online and offline.
While both men and women can experience cyber violence, the evidence overwhelmingly indicates that primarily young girls, women, and LGBTQI+ individuals are exposed to violent digital practices purely based on their sex and gender. This has adverse effects at the individual level, impacting the well-being of victims (Citron, Franks 2014; Vakhitova et al. 2021), as well as broader social ramifications, undermining gender equality and affecting the participation of women and girls in society (ElSherief et al. 2017).
Due to the intrinsic connection between the prevention of gender-based violence and education, it’s imperative to stimulate thorough reflection and promote research in this domain. Addressing this connection is essential to identify policies and best practices aimed at establishing more equitable and secure digital spaces and championing gender equality.
Based on these insights, we welcome panel proposals on (but not limited to) the following areas:
– Conceptualization of cyber-violence within a gendered framework;
– Original research on digitally enforced gender-based violence;
– Research on policy initiatives aimed at countering and preventing Cyber-VAWG at both national and European levels;
– Educational and media-educational perspectives on gender-based cyber-violence;
– Training focused on cyber-violence prevention, especially programs directed at children, teens, and young adults that emphasize awareness-raising and youth empowerment;
– Studies on the social portrayal of Cyber-VAWG as a significant concern within news media, social media, or popular culture.