Online abuse is silencing women on a staggering scale – it’s a democratic crisis | Sharon Kechula

Susan Kihika, governor of Nakuru county in Kenya, faced a severe campaign of online abuse after taking maternity leave in the United States following treatment for a high-risk pregnancy. Critics accused her of abandoning Kenya and subjected her to sexist smears, including baseless claims about her personal life and political legitimacy. Despite support from her deputy and the Kenya Women Parliamentary Association (Kewopa), the harassment persisted, fueled in part by her dual Kenyan-US citizenship. This case highlights the broader issue of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), which disproportionately targets women in political and public spheres. TFGBV encompasses a range of harmful behaviors using digital tools, including doxing, deepfake abuse, sexual harassment, intimidation, and sextortion. These acts inflict physical, psychological, social, and political harm, often forcing women to self-censor or withdraw from online spaces. Globally, around 60% of women have experienced such abuse, which can escalate from online harassment to real-world violence. The digital nature of these attacks means they can infiltrate all areas of life, from homes to workplaces and educational institutions, creating a pervasive threat to women’s participation in public life. Kihika’s experience is not isolated; it reflects a systemic problem where female leaders face double standards and gendered scrutiny rarely applied to their male counterparts. The abuse she endured underscores the democratic crisis posed by online harassment, as it silences women’s voices and undermines their political engagement. Efforts to combat TFGBV through legislation have so far proven insufficient to create safe digital environments, highlighting the need for comprehensive strategies that address both technological and societal dimensions of gender-based violence. The persistence of online abuse against women in leadership roles raises urgent questions about equality, freedom of expression, and the health of democratic institutions. Without effective measures to protect women from digital harassment, their participation in politics and public discourse remains at risk, threatening the inclusivity and fairness essential to democratic governance.