Continuum of Online-Offline Abuse

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) is a rapidly growing societal problem which can have adverse consequences for survivors. Greater access to technology allows for novel ways of committing harm or new opportunities to amplify pre-existing abuse. While abuse can occur strictly in online realms, TFGBV is not restricted to one plane of harm and can be used in combination with other forms of offline violence. This Is understood as the online-offline continuum of violence – where TFGBV is used to exacerbate offline forms of violence and vice-versa. The online-offline continuum of violence demonstrates that TFGBV does not solely exist in a digital realm but is an extension of physical and real-world harm.

This session explores the continuum of online-offline violence and broader experiences of TFGBV including but not limited to: (1) image-based abuse and/or sextortion; (2) cyberstalking & surveillance; (3) harassment or trolling; (4) doxxing and/or swatting; (5) coercive control; or (6) AI-generated abuse (e.g., deepfakes).

This session delves into how this continuum shapes responses to TFGBV, survivor experiences, and perception of harm.