In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2025, Journalists for Christ (JFC) International has raised the alarm over the increasing cases of misogyny and tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) against women on social media platforms.
JFC is also calling for an immediate end to misogyny and all forms of violence, harassment, and abuse against women, both online and in real life.
In a press statement issued by the President of JFC and Secretary, World Association for Christian Communication (WACC) Africa Region, Mr Lekan Otufodunrin, decried the disturbing trend of online harassment targeting women.
According to a recent social media monitoring report conducted by the JFC, there has been a significant surge in digital attacks, unwarranted misogynistic comments, and tech-facilitated violence against women in Nigeria’s online spaces.
“Our monitoring report for the project ‘Countering Misogyny and Online Gender-Based Violence Through Monitoring, Digital Counter-Narratives and Advocacy Actions’ supported by WACC and Bread for The World – German Protestant Agency for Diaconia confirmed that digital attacks on women online are on the increase.
“We found many cases of unwarranted misogynistic comments and and tech-facilitated gender-based violence against women,” Otufodunrin stated.
The comprehensive study, which involved focused group discussions with professionals, women, students, persons living with disabilities, and men, revealed numerous participants had personally experienced various forms of misogyny and TFGBV.
JFC’s report highlighted the devastating impact of such violence on women, noting that it “forces girls and women to conform to societal pressures against their will, breaks women’s willpower, reduces their participation and contribution in society, and causes psychological harm that leads to defeatist attitudes and stalled ambitions.”
The report further emphasized that victims often suffer from “depression, suicidal thoughts, and stigmatization,” leading to severe mental health challenges and social isolation.
To address these growing concerns, JFC proposed several practical solutions, including “creating awareness, educating people, engaging in online support networks, supporting victims, and confronting misogyny when witnessed.”
The organisation also recommended engaging men as allies in the fight against misogyny, stating that “men who understand the issue must be involved and boys must be sensitized to value and treat girls and women with respect.”
Other suggested approaches include “involving religious leaders and community organisations, reorienting family units, challenging misinterpretations of religious texts, and producing counter-narratives that promote women’s solidarity.”
JFC called for strengthened legislation and enforcement of laws against online gender-based violence, implementation of multi-layered advocacy strategies, and collaboration with institutions to create greater awareness about the harmful effects of misogyny.
Otufodunrin emphasized the urgency of the situation, calling on stakeholders, including government agencies, civil society organisations, religious institutions, and the general public to join the campaign to #EndMisogyNG and #StopTFGBV.
The project, which produced the report, was implemented by Journalists for Christ International, Nigeria, in partnership with the World Association for Christian Communication, Africa Region (WACC-AR).