NAYA| Fe-Male launches “Screens Do Not Protect:” National campaign for cyber-violence awareness

BEIRUT: In accordance with its objective to eradicate all inequalities and injustices geared toward women, Fe-Male NGO is tracking intently and with an extraordinary consciousness the increasing rates of cyber violence reported cases b women. As indicated by Fe-Male’s recent data from The Lebanese Internal Security Forces Directorate, women and girls report on a monthly bases over 100 cases of distinct types of cyber-violence.

In response to this problem, Fe-Male released “Screens Do Not Protect” campaign on Friday. The campaign aims to highlight that women and girls have the right to access and use online platforms with full security and protection without being exposed to any type of cyber-violence.

The General Directorate of the Lebanese General Security states that the distinct types of cybercrimes recorded cases against women and girls entail online harassment, sextortion, extortion, exposure to public morals, defamation threats, degrade and defame, electronic identity theft including social media accounts, and emails among others.

All these crimes have led to dreadful outcomes on women’s and girls’ lives. In 2019, one girl attempted to commit suicide while two others actually did due to the cyber blackmail.

“The COVID-19 ongoing crisis have left us with the various internet platforms as our only outlet to go about with our professional and personal lives. As such, girls and women who are usually exposed to online violence are now consequently more at risk of a violence that is taking so many shapes and forms,” said Hayat Mirshad, Co-director of Fe-Male NGO.

Ever since its initiation, Fe-Male NGO devoted itself to achieve online protection since it perceives it as a top priority particularly with the rising percentages of cybercrimes committed against women and girls.