Phoenix 24
What happens on a screen is no longer confined to the digital realm but increasingly shaping fear, behavior and violence in the physical world.
Brussels, November 2025
Belen Sanz, regional director at UN Women, delivered one of the clearest messages heard during Europe’s observance of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women: online aggression is not a parallel universe, nor a symbolic extension of conflict. It is a real and escalating form of violence that affects bodies, choices and public participation across the continent.
Her assessment comes at a time when governments, researchers and civil society organizations are documenting a rapid rise in coordinated harassment, sexualized threats, deepfake fabrication and stalking conducted through digital platforms. According to UN Women, the psychological toll on girls and women is profound, shaping behavior long after the attacks end. Many victims reduce their online presence, alter their daily routes or withdraw from public debate altogether, a pattern now visible from Europe to Latin America and Asia.
Sanz emphasized that the distinction between digital and physical violence is increasingly artificial. Women silenced on social media often experience intimidation offline, while perpetrators who operate anonymously online frequently escalate to direct contact or real world harassment. Security experts in Western Europe note that this migration from digital targeting to physical risk has become a consistent pattern in extremist ecosystems and in misogynistic online communities. Analysts in East Africa studying digital safety confirm similar dynamics, underlining that threats delivered through screens often serve as preludes to real world aggression.
One of the most concerning developments is the use of digital manipulation technologies. Deepfake videos, voice cloning and fabricated images have made it easier to intimidate victims, damage professional reputations and erode trust in institutions. Research teams in Asia warn that the mainstreaming of such tools lowers the barrier for abuse, enabling coordinated smear campaigns with minimal technical expertise. In Latin America, women politicians and activists have reported surges in synthetic media attacks timed to coincide with elections or public demonstrations.
Sanz noted that adolescent girls are among the most vulnerable. Many face waves of harassment as they begin to build an online identity, with long term effects on self esteem, mental health and academic performance. Teachers and psychologists across Europe report increasing cases of anxiety tied to social media exposure, while organizations in North America studying digital youth behavior observe similar patterns of fear, withdrawal and hypervigilance.
The institutional response remains uneven. Some European countries have advanced digital safety laws, specialized police units and educational programs, but others lack protocols for reporting online harassment or for linking digital threats to protective measures offline. UN Women argues that national systems must evolve quickly, integrating digital evidence procedures, expanding cybersecurity training for law enforcement and ensuring that social media platforms cooperate in investigations.
Another challenge lies in the growing sophistication of perpetrators. Extremist groups, criminal networks and ideologically motivated actors increasingly use digital channels to coordinate harassment, disseminate private data or encourage attacks. Observers in international security institutions warn that the convergence of misogyny, political radicalization and algorithmic amplification creates an environment where violent narratives spread rapidly with little accountability.
Despite the grim landscape, Sanz stressed that solutions exist. Strengthening platform transparency, improving digital literacy, and establishing clear legal consequences for online abuse are achievable steps. She urged governments to approach digital violence not as a marginal issue but as a critical component of public safety, democracy and gender equality.
The underlying message is unequivocal. Violence experienced through screens is violence experienced in life. The psychological, social and political consequences demand immediate action, coordinated strategies and a recognition that digital spaces are now inseparable from the real world where harm unfolds.
Every silence speaks. / Cada silencio habla.