The rapid expansion of digital technologies has opened new spaces for communication, activism, and expression. Yet, it has also created new arenas for violence against women. Online platforms have become an extension of existing gender inequalities, where harassment, image-based abuse, and threats reproduce the same patriarchal dynamics found offline. Digital violence is not a separate phenomenon it is part of a continuum of gender-based violence that affects women’s dignity, privacy, and security. Once an image circulates online, it becomes almost impossible to erase, and the harm is continually renewed with each new view or share. This phenomenon demonstrates how the violation of privacy in the digital space can amount to a violation of human rights.
One of the most concerning forms of this abuse is the non-consensual dissemination of intimate images (NCII), commonly referred to as revenge porn.
Yet “revenge porn” is a misogynist way to call it because the word “revenge” insinuates that the victim is guilty for something happened before the divulgation of the video/picture. Revenge happens when you did something bad to someone.
Within Europe, the most comprehensive legal instrument addressing violence against women is the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence (the Istanbul Convention, 2011). It establishes a clear legal positive and negative obligation for States to prevent, investigate, and punish all forms of violence against women, and to provide protection and support for victims. While the Convention was initially created to address physical, sexual, and psychological violence, its provisions have been interpreted to include technology-facilitated violence as well. In article 1 it states that protects all kinds of gender violence so we could interpretate that includes online violence.
A crucial development in this regard is the GREVIO General Recommendation No. 1 on the Digital Dimension of Violence Against Women (2021). This document officially recognized the “digital dimension” of gender-based violence, urging States to apply the Istanbul Convention to online environments. It provides guidance on addressing behaviors such as cyberstalking, online harassment, doxxing, and NCII, framing them as forms of violence against women that violate the rights to dignity, equality, and freedom from discrimination.
Under Article 33 of the Convention, which addresses psychological violence, States are required to criminalize any intentional conduct that seriously impairs a woman’s psychological integrity. This article now serves as the legal basis for prosecuting acts of digital violence that inflict emotional distress or psychological harm, such as the public sharing of intimate content without consent. The Istanbul Convention not only recognizes these forms of violence but also provides a framework for prevention and protection. Law enforcement authorities are required to develop gender-sensitive protocols and to cooperate with social media platforms to ensure timely removal of harmful content and access to effective remedies for victims.
The digitalization of violence demonstrates that gender inequality is not confined to the private or domestic sphere it has adapted to the online world. The Istanbul Convention remains essential precisely because it links the protection of women’s rights to the broader fight for equality and human dignity, both offline and online.
In conclusion, the Istanbul Convention represents a milestone in the international recognition of women’s right to live free from violence in all its forms. Its interpretation in light of the digital age marks an important evolution in human rights law, ensuring that privacy, safety, and freedom are protected even in virtual spaces. To confront the growing wave of digital abuse, States must fully implement the Convention, integrate its principles into national legislation, and adopt a comprehensive, gender-sensitive approach that keeps pace with technological change. Only by doing so can the promise of equality and safety envisioned by the Istanbul Convention be truly fulfilled in the digital era.
