Political Impact
Key Insights
Patterns Identified
Women in public and political roles were
disproportionately targeted with harassment
aimed at discrediting their legitimacy. Many
participants reported gender-based attacks that
questioned their abilities and right to participate
in public life.
• Gendered Nature of Harassment: The
Illustrative
Reflections
A participant who was a candidate for the
parliamentary elections in Jordan recounted how
online harassment during her electoral campaign
focused on her identity, rather than her ideas or
qualifications.
“I was harassed online during my
campaign. The comments weren’t
about my policies—they were
personal, attacking me as a woman.”
Others described how the public sharing of
personal information was used as a tool to
intimidate and silence activists, as one activist
who faced an online doxxing campaign against
them said:
“They published my private
information to intimidate me. It’s
hard to continue speaking out when
you feel unsafe.”
attacks often targeted survivors’ identities,
such as their gender or other personal
characteristics, rather than their professional
or political platforms.
• Withdrawal from Political Engagement: For
some, the persistent harassment led to
varying degrees of disengagement from
political or public discourse. While some
participants deactivated their social media
accounts temporarily before returning with a
low profile and reduced activity, others ceased
their online engagement entirely but left their
accounts active. Regardless of the extent,
both forms of withdrawal reflect restrictions
on digital rights and highlight the broader
impact of harassment on survivors’
participation in public life.
Discussion
The silencing effect of TFGBV on women in
politics not only restricts their voices but also
reflects a broader systemic issue of inequity in
digital and public spaces. Survivors frequently
respond to these threats by altering their digital
behaviors and adopting defensive strategies, as
discussed in the next section.
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