What is TFGBV?

Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) refers to any form of abuse, harassment, or harm that is carried out using digital technologies and is rooted in gender-based power and control.

TFGBV is often invisible — but it’s everywhere. It affects how people show up online, how safe they feel, and how free they are to exist and express themselves in digital spaces.

• Threats, blackmail, or stalking through text, email, or messaging apps
   
• Non-consensual image sharing (also called ‘revenge porn’)
   
• Online harassment, gendered slurs, or hate campaigns
   
• Impersonation or doxxing (publicly leaking private info)
   
• Monitoring or surveillance by a partner or ex-partner
   
• Pressure to send intimate photos or engage in sexual conversations
   
• Abuse in gaming, streaming, or social platforms targeted at women, girls, or LGBTQ+ people

Anyone can experience TFGBV — but research shows it disproportionately impacts:

• Girls, young women, and gender-diverse youth
   
• Survivors of family or domestic violence
   
• People with disability
   
• First Nations women
   
• Women in public roles (activists, educators, creators)
   

Many survivors describe feeling trapped, silenced, ashamed, or afraid to go online — but also unable to disconnect.

TFGBV causes more than just digital disruption. It can lead to:

• Panic, anxiety, or trauma triggers
   
• Social withdrawal or isolation
   
• Sleep issues and academic disruption
   
• Fear of speaking up or participating online
   
• Loss of trust in relationships and technology
   

At AFK, we believe the internet should not be a danger zone. Everyone deserves to be safe — online and offline.

• Trauma-informed digital safety workshops
   
• Support circles and healing spaces for victims and carers
   
• One-on-one help with safety planning, device lockdown, and emotional regulation
   
• School and parent education to recognise early warning signs
   
• Advocacy at the global level, including the UN and WIPO, to push for ethical tech policies that protect girls and women

 If you’re experiencing TFGBV, we’re here to help — without judgment, without pressure, and with full respect for your privacy and agency.