Psychological Impact
Key Insights
Patterns Identified
• Participants highlighted significant psycho‐
• Impact of Social Stigma: Survivors face
logical effects of TFGBV, including anxiety,
fear, and emotional distress.
• Survivors often experience sleep disturbances,
eating disorders, and in severe cases, suicidal
ideation due to ongoing harassment and
threats.
• Many survivors internalize societal blame,
leading to feelings of guilt and shame. These
emotions are particularly acute in conserva‐
tive communities where survivors are held to
rigid standards of behavior.
• Survivors report diminished self-esteem and
a reluctance to participate in public or digital
spaces, further isolating them from support
networks and freedom of expression.
compounded psychological pressures due to
negative reactions from families and
communities. Survivors face entrenched
social stigmas that prevent them from seeking
help. Moreover, participants highlighted how
societal norms perpetuate victim-blaming,
often discouraging survivors from reporting
incidents. For instance, women in conserva‐
tive communities avoid discussing digital vi‐
olence due to fears of damaging families’
reputations.
• Variation in Reactions: Psychological re‐
sponses vary based on the survivor’s re‐
silience, nature of the incident, and social
support system.
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