Digital violence encompasses various forms of violence. Perpetrators use technical devices such as smartphones, laptops, or tracking devices to monitor victims, isolate them from their social environment, blackmail them, or damage their reputation. Gateways are often apps and platforms such as messaging apps, email, stalkerware, or social media. Perpetrators use digital means in violent relationships to gain greater control and surveillance over the victim.
Digital intimate partner violence is usually carried out together with physical and psychological violence.1 Often, this affects not only the women themselves, but also their children. Through the children, perpetrators can also establish contact with the victim, thereby increasing the pressure.
Women, girls, and marginalized groups are particularly frequently affected by digital violence—as with other forms of violence. However, there is currently a lack of reliable nationwide studies on digital intimate partner violence.
Digital violence can cause massive psychological and physical harm to victims—especially because it can occur around the clock. This form of violence must therefore be taken just as seriously as other forms of violence.
However, it is not easy for the police and judiciary as well as for assistance organizations to keep pace with technological developments and offer appropriate support.
What's particularly problematic is that even if victims seek refuge in a women's shelter, the digital violence doesn't automatically stop. Threats can still reach victims via mobile devices or track and monitor them using stalkerware. This makes it all the more important that local professionals are sensitized to the issue and properly trained.
The above-mentioned forms of digital violence are often referred to as cyberstalking In cyberstalking, a perpetrator repeatedly stalks the victim against their will in digital space over an extended period of time. The stalking can extend into many areas of life.
When digitally locating and monitoring victims, perpetrators use the following tools.
Everything about You can find our work on digital violence on this page read!
We have compiled further information and helpful recommendations for protection against digital violence for you below.
The following federal associations are members of the Women’s Shelter Coordination Association
Translation provided by GTranslate. Using the translation function, texts from our website will be translated into other languages. For details on data protection, see our Privacy Policy.
