IGF 2023 WS #463 Online violence based on gender and sexuality

Subtheme

Cybersecurity, Cybercrime & Online Safety
Online Hate Speech and Rights of Vulnerable People

Organizer 1: Velasco Karla, Association for Progressive Communications
Organizer 2: MARWA HANNA, 🔒
Organizer 3: Tigist Hussen, 🔒
Organizer 4: Namita Aavriti, 🔒

Speaker 1: MARWA HANNA, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group
Speaker 2: Nyx McLean, Civil Society, African Group
Speaker 3: Alexandra Robinson, Intergovernmental Organization, Intergovernmental Organization

Moderator

Tigist Hussen, Civil Society, African Group

Online Moderator

Velasco Karla, Civil Society, Latin American and Caribbean Group (GRULAC)

Rapporteur

Namita Aavriti, Civil Society, Asia-Pacific Group

Format

Round Table - 90 Min

Policy Question(s)

How can we recognise, define and face online gender-based violence that can help us in the creation and implementation of gender transformative legislation?
How can we address OGBV by providing solutions that are not only policy oriented?
How can we ensure freedom of expression as women, gender non-binary, trans and queer people?

What will participants gain from attending this session? The facilitator will set up a plenary discussion and break-out rooms that explore the following strands:
· the link between heteronormativity and public standards of decency and conforming to gender and sexual norms.
· attacks faced in particular by LGBTQIA+ activists and their experience in different contexts.
· attacks faced by women in public positions, either journalists, activists, politicians.
· The plenary will focus on the questions around freedom of expression and sharing of tactics from the research and experiences on how to address, undercut and challenge the discourse that targets women, gender non-binary, trans and queer people in particular.

Description:

With our partners, in this session we will explore the ways in which nationalist and patriotic rhetoric fuel online gender based violence on grounds of gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. The intention of this session is to expand our understanding of deeply entrenched technology-facilitated violence by unveiling the nexus of nationalism, heteronormative values, homophobia, and patriarchy in activating violence against marginalised communities.
This is particularly exhibited in the ongoing anti-gender discourse and conservative and right-wing agendas in varied countries. From a global perspective, time and again history has showed us that the discourse around nationalism often led to violence and misogyny; homophobia and targeting LGBTIQ+ individuals and their performance of gender. The stronghold of cultural mores leads to the growing attacks on women in politics, journalism and public roles through tactics such as leaking intimate images to online violence and harassment.
The increasing volume of such discourse normalises the punishment of individual and collectives who are considered deviant in the form of hate speech, campaign against these communities, and online shaming and trolling etc. but also often extending to increased violence against LGBTQIA+ people and women. All of these is done and justified in the name of defending one’s national pride and integrity and continuing occupation.
We will be sharing emerging research through the facilitation of proposed workshop we hope to showcase new and emerging feminist research that are tackling such on intersecting social and political issues on technology-facilitated gender-based violence in Brazil, Malaysia,Turkey, Palestine, Botswana, South Africa, Rwanda and Uganda, and sharing with different stakeholders to get responses on possible directions for policy, legal and societal response.
This panel will bring together experts from UNFPA, 7amleh, a non binary academic representative and APC.

Expected Outcomes

The session will lead to 1. publication with current research partners and others on ogbv and intersection with sexuality and nationalism online at firn.genderit.org and at apc.org, 2. Follow up event is a research conference planned in late 2024 or 2025 on technology, gender and feminism that will look specifically at TFGBV across the world 3. The report of this session will be used as a basis for further discussions on the drafting of the GDC and measures to address online gender based violence.

Hybrid Format: In order to have a successful session between onsite speakers and online speakers, the virtual moderator will be aware of the virtual room and the participation of the people in the virtual room, coordinating with the face-to-face moderator. We will use tools like zoom, https://www.mentimeter.com/ and https://answergarden.ch/ to have an interactive session for group conversation.