Campaign targets online abuse of women and girls

A campaign to raise awareness of the online abuse and harassment of women has been launched by a police force.

South Yorkshire Police said such abuse can happen on any digital device and at any location - home, work, on public transport or in town.

The force said Know More aimed to remind people that "it's never just a joke, a bit of banter or for fun" and that certain abusive messages and posts are a crime.

A spokesperson said they wanted people to understand abusive and threatening messages had a "lasting impact" on victims and should be taken seriously.

Cyber-stalking, cyber-flashing, threats of harm, rape and death, and intentionally sharing false information are all seen as crimes, the force said.

The campaign, launched on the UN's International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, focuses on these crimes, which were added to the Online Safety Act 2023.

"Certain abusive messages and posts are a crime and all of them have a real-life impact on the women and girls who experience it," the force said.

It highlighted that individuals with a public online profile, such as politicians, influencers and journalists, were "disproportionately affected".

The force said recently published data suggested three quarters of women working in journalism in the UK had experienced rape or death threats, harassment and stalking.

The police campaign is funded by the South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner and follows the force’s No More and Do More campaigns in 2022 and 2023, also aimed at tackling violence against women and girls.

It has been developed with input from the force’s violence against women and girls (VAWG) independent advisory group - made up of those who have lived experience of VAWG, or work in organisations that support women and girls who have experienced this type of violence - alongside other partners.

Assistant Chief Constable Hayley Barnett said: "Not only do we see violence against women and girls in the real world, but sadly nationwide we’re also witnessing a concerning rise in the number of reports of online abuse and harassment with stalking and harassment accounting for 23% of all online offences."

ACC Barnett said offences are still heavily underreported.

"It has long-lasting implications for victims.

"We’re encouraging everyone to understand the seriousness of these appalling behaviours and recognise them for what they are," she added.

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