Digital violence is still violence

Digital Violence, defined as an act of violence perpetrated by one or more individuals that is committed, assisted, aggravated, and amplified in part or fully digitally, is still a relatively new notion which could have significant ramification on women’s lives in Jordan.

Who would have thought that in addition to the multiple forms of violence against women, there would come a day when technology ushers a new form in! While the way the digital tools are deployed to exploit women may vary, it becomes a problem that needs addressing in today’s modern society.

A Jordanian university student shared her story under the condition of anonymity.

“I was in my sophomore year when this incident started to unravel. I had a colleague whom I took a liking to and vice versa, after a while we started talking via messenger and he expressed his feelings and I was naïve enough to fall for it. He started either taking photos of us as a couple on campus or asking for photos of me every once in a while via direct messages.

“Six months later, I broke up with him and he was ballistic mad that he used those photos to blackmail me to get back to him or he would publish them and ruin my family’s name. He even altered one photo digitally so I would look like I was in an inappropriate position. It was a very straining time for me, I tried to reason with him and was willing to buy his silence.”

Another woman told us that she was stalked via social media for a few months last year which made her create new social media accounts under proxy names. “He kept messaging me despite my obvious lack of interest and then the messages turned to threats that he knows where I live and work and he will come for me.”

Such experiences highlight not only that women remain soft targets for perpetrators of digital violence, but that it covers a wide range of exploitation; the more advanced and versatile the digital tools are, the wider the attempts at it are.

Digital violence differs as well in its reasons: some might weaponize it for revenge, financial gain, and sexual extortion or to coerce powerful women into submission. According to the Formative Research implemented by Plan International’s She Lead Programme, there is, within Jordan and within the region as a whole, a need to address the challenges and opposition faced when using the word “gender equality”, as well as the digital violence targeting women leaders and human rights organizations.

Emy Dawud, the founder of “Feminist Movement Jordan”, said that there are common features in all the digital violence cases they receive including: fear of societal punishments, contempt and stigma in case the photos were disseminated, feeling the pain of the injustice they will have to pay for the rest of their lives which beyond anything the perpetrator will pay, and the constant self-blaming from the survivors themselves and thus feelings of shame and guilt that lead to a deterioration in self-confidence and good personal traits.

“The most significant common thing is the survivors’ fears for their families’ reactions whether it is psychological (destroying their bright image in their parents eyes) or physical harm (beating, murder, or forcible marriages as a cover),” Dawud continued. Despite that those fears are not unfounded, they can be overcome with the right measures and women should know they do not stand alone.

Dawud provided practical steps for women who might find themselves blackmailed: “In most cases, we act as a mediator between the two parties and end the blackmail by warning the perpetrator of the consequences that await him, but at other times we feel that warning the perpetrator may push him to carry out his threat. If the girl is a child, we are forced to take immediate measures, and inform the Family Protection Department where the family as legal guardians will be informed of what is happening, only after obtaining the survivor’s consent and full conviction. If the girl isn’t a child, we advise her to:

• Do not wear your intimidation for the blackmailer to see
• Do not delete the content used for the blackmail to use it as evidence.
• Do not carry out any of the blackmailer’s requests, as his demands will never end and will only cause more pain.
• Block the blackmailer from social media sites and change your passwords.
• Do not be alone and tell a trustworthy person to provide you with the necessary psychological support (we provide this support to survivors in private to ensure that they do not resort to untrustworthy people).
• Do not hesitate to file a complaint at the Family Protection Department (if the identity of the blackmailer is known) or the Cyber Crimes Division (if his identity is unknown).

Safe better than sorry

“We advise girls not to send private pictures, especially if they include their faces or other unique identifying features or distinct physical marks such as birthmarks, moles, etc., or even photos that show a distinct place, clothing, or accessories that may indicate her identity. We also aim to raise awareness about the importance of blaming the perpetrators instead of the survivors and we lobby to establish real and effective protection systems for women,” Dawud added. Other practical digital tips include creating strong passwords to secure laptops, phones and social media accounts. It's advised to keep these passwords private.

New Cybercrime Law: does it really help?

On August 12, 2023, a new law on combating cybercrimes was ratified and published in the official gazette, penalizing perpetrators of acts that it deems as cybercrimes with a term of imprisonment or a fine or both. A closer look at what the law deems as cybercrime such as: creating false social media account, hacking information and using information networks to create, prepare, save, process, display, print, publish, or promoting pornographic activities, means that digital violence perpetrators will find real difficulty in walking free if they were reported and curbs real-world violence potential.

Currently, the new law is under the spotlight in the 4th UPR review session where a recurring recommendation is the re-evaluation of the amendments to ensure that legislation is in line with international human rights standards. While it continues to be a controversial law, one thing is evident: despite the controversy, it made it safer for the survivors to come forward.

Although many digital violence incidents against women go unreported, the true number and variety of incidents are probably far higher; yet, the frequent stories that do reach us offer a glimpse of the harsh realities that women must contend with in cyberspace.

To counteract such a prevailing phenomenon, efforts must be dedicated towards supporting female survivors and ensuring the digital world becomes a fair and equitable space for them. Jordan received other recommendations in this UPR session such as: spreading awareness and guidance to all segments of society to avoid becoming survivors of cybercrimes and exploring further measures in teaching children to think critically in the digital world.

By: Roa’a Abu Nada