Nicosia: Preventing and combating online violence against girls and promoting gender equality more broadly are key priorities of the Government and a central priority of the upcoming Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the European Union, with actions that will strengthen the European agenda to tackle the phenomenon said Commissioner for gender equality Josie Christodoulou.
According to Cyprus News Agency, in a written statement on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, the Commissioner said that protecting women and girls in the digital space requires effective cooperation with social media platforms and strengthening digital literacy at all levels.
She further said creating a secure digital environment is a collective responsibility involving institutions, technology companies, educational structures and every member of our society.
Christodoulou noted that in a digital environment that is now an integral part of everyday life, women and girls are exposed to new forms of gender-based abuse: from online sexism and intimidation, threats and sexist targeting, to non-consensual sharing of personal material, surveillance, harassment and attacks on their professional and public presence.
The Commissioner also noted that these forms of violence are no less serious because they occur in the digital space, they have real, harmful consequences for the lives, mental health and safety of women and girls.