By: Hammad Ahmad
The digital revolution has reshaped the global economy, education, politics, and countless other aspects of life. According to the World Bank, Pakistan’s labor force participation rate for women remained at 25% in 2024. However, the rise of freelancing and work-from-home policies presents opportunities to increase this figure in the future. Women can now contribute to the economy by joining the trillion-dollar online freelance industry from the comfort of their homes.
In traditional and conservative societies like Pakistan, where cultural norms such as purdah (veil) and chadar aur chaar diwari (a woman’s honor tied to staying within the home) prevail, remote work appears to be a convenient solution for women. However, this seemingly ideal scenario is marred by a darker reality, particularly for marginalized communities.
While online platforms provide safe spaces for women to work, they have also become breeding grounds for harassment against women and other marginalized groups, including minorities and sexual minorities like the LGBTQIA community. These platforms often host toxic communities, commonly referred to as the “manosphere,” where misogyny, intolerance toward minorities, and outdated notions of masculinity are perpetuated. Figures like Andrew Tate, who gained fame by berating women and promoting rigid gender roles, epitomize this trend. Tate’s inflammatory rhetoric, such as a widely circulated clip in which he claims, “(women take) nine months to make a baby, if men bore children, they would do it in two weeks,” reinforces a culture of misogyny under the guise of entertainment.
This toxic culture contributes to the growing phenomenon of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV)—acts of violence perpetrated online against individuals or communities based on their gender. While men are not immune to online harassment, women and sexual minorities are the primary targets.
The roots of this issue lie in societal misogyny. As online communities reflect the values of the people who create them, it is unsurprising that offline biases are mirrored and amplified in digital spaces.
Data from Pakistan’s Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) underscores the prevalence of TFGBV. In its annual report, the organization recorded 2,473 new complaints of cyber harassment in 2023 through its Cyber Harassment Helpline, which completed seven years of operation. Since its inception, the helpline has received 16,849 complaints nationwide. Punjab reported the highest number of cases (1,724), followed by Sindh (261) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (112).
High-profile cases of online harassment further highlight the unsafe nature of digital spaces for women. Female journalist Gharida Farooqi endured a decade-long harassment campaign that intensified during the PTI regime, according to Women Press Freedom. Similarly, journalists Mehar Bokhari, Saadia Mazhar, and Maria Memon have faced severe online abuse in recent years. The advent of AI-driven deepfake technologies, capable of creating doctored pornographic images and videos, has introduced a new weapon for harassers, further endangering women and marginalized groups.
The solution lies in fostering a culture of respect for all individuals, regardless of gender, religion, creed, or ethnicity. Governments worldwide must develop robust policies to counter the malicious use of AI and other technologies. Meanwhile, online platforms should be leveraged to create educational channels, communities, and pages that raise awareness about the damaging effects of online harassment and trolling.
Addressing the root causes of misogyny and discrimination, both online and offline, is essential to ensure safe and inclusive digital spaces for all.