Psychological Impact
Online violence inflicts severe and lasting damage on the mental health of women
and girls, creating a critical offline consequence that extends far beyond the digital
screen. Our survey data (Figures 2&3) confirms a direct link between online abuse
and subsequent mental health crises, a situation that is significantly exacerbated
when survivors feel they have no support system to help them cope.
This profound psychological toll is echoed across multiple sources. Focus group
participants detailed how such violence leads to depression, social withdrawal,
isolation, and even disordered eating. Corroborating this, The Jordanian Network
to Combat Digital Violence Against Female Journalists found that female
journalists commonly suffer from restlessness and sleep disorders following
online attacks. The scale of this crisis is further quantified by UN Women, which
reports that in the Arab States, 35% of women who experienced online violence
felt "sad/depressed," and an equal percentage "lost trust in the people around
them." A deeply alarming 12% also reported having suicidal thoughts27.
27
UN Women, Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence.
16