One in Three Working Women Suffer Online Abuse

One-third of women experience online abuse at work, with devastating consequences on their careers, according to new research carried out by Australia’s eSafety Comissioner.

The research found that 35% of women surveyed experienced some form of online abuse in a professional context. Incidences of abuse were higher among younger women (43%), those who identified as LGBTIQ+ (51%) and women living with a disability (57%). The report entitled Women’s experiences with online abuse in their working lives, coincides with International Women’s Day on 8 March, explores the experiences of women who have strong online or media profiles for professional purposes.

DEVASTATING IMPACT ON CAREERS

The women reported different types of behaviour including harassment, doxing and trolling. Most of the abuse happened on social media, with a severe or devastating impact on mental health, with participants reporting a loss of confidence in their ability to do their job, reputational damage, and concerns for their personal safety and that of their families.

Given the high emotional toll, it is no surprise that almost a quarter of the women abused online said they were reluctant to move into leadership positions because they would be required to appear in the media or be online. This reticence was almost double for women living with a disability. According to the research, 22% temporarily stopped online activity, 8% pulled back from or avoided leadership positions, with 5% even leaving their industry.

 
Around 75% of reports of online harms reported to eSafety come from women and girls. Women are asking for more resources, stronger protections and cultural change, confirmed safety Commissioner. Employers need to be more aware of what is happening with their employees and not accuse them prior to investigating fully. All new employees should be given policies and procedures with all these details in them. Perhaps government can provide this to the employers, according to study participants. This includes more laws to curb offences, gender equality and respect for women.

Click here to download a copy of the report.

Over a third of US workers said they experienced harassment remotely, through email, video conferencing, chat apps, or by phone, this year, according to another study. Click here to read more.