16 Days of Activism: UK Strengthens Protections Against Online Gender-Based Harms
This week marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence, a global campaign from 25th November to 10th December that calls for action to end all forms of violence against women and girls. For us, as a charity supporting people harmed through technology, this period is an important reminder that digital abuse is now one of the most common and damaging ways gender based violence is carried out.
As the 16 Days begin, the UK has published significant new guidance aimed at improving online safety for women and girls. Ofcom has released its final Guidance on a Safer Online for Women and Girls and a practical guide for tech companies, both of which highlight and respond to the harms we see every day in our work. These documents recognise the reality that many victim survivors already know: online spaces are not always safe, and abuses experienced offline often continue through technology.
Below, we summarise the new developments through a victim survivor lens and reflect on what they mean for our work and the people we support.
Recognising the reality of online harm for victim survivors
The guidance acknowledges that women and girls face significant and often overlapping online harms linked to misogyny, control and abuse. These include:
Misogynistic abuse and sexual violence.
Pile ons and coordinated harassment.
Stalking and coercive control through digital tools.
Image based sexual abuse, such as deepfakes and non consensual image sharing.
For many victim survivors, this acknowledgment may feel validating. These harms have long been minimised or dismissed as private disputes or technical mishaps. The guidance makes clear that they are serious, patterned forms of abuse rooted in gender inequality and deserving of robust protection.
What tech companies are now expected to do
From our perspective at The Cyber Helpline, one of the most important parts of the new guidance is that platforms are now expected to take meaningful, proactive steps to reduce online gender based harms. Ofcom outlines nine action areas, including:
Designing safer platforms and building in risk detection from the start.
Improving reporting systems so victim survivors can get timely help.
Strengthening tools that prevent stalking, monitoring or account compromise.
Removing non consensual intimate images quickly and effectively.
Tackling algorithms that elevate harmful or misogynistic content.
Publishing clearer information about how abuse is being handled.
These expectations reflect the challenges our service users face every day. Too often, survivors come to us after reporting abuse to platforms and feeling ignored, confused or unsafe. Stronger duties on tech companies are essential for reducing this burden.
A shift toward a human rights and survivor focused approach
The guidance places victim survivors at the heart of the conversation by recognising that abuse online can silence women and girls, restrict their participation and harm their wellbeing and autonomy. It notes that real safety online must protect both freedom of expression and freedom from harm.
This aligns strongly with our own values at The Cyber Helpline. When a survivor is harassed, monitored or humiliated online, their voice, choices and everyday safety are impacted. For many, technology is essential for work, education and connection, and no one should have to withdraw from digital life to stay safe.
Our reflections at The Cyber Helpline
For those of us working directly with survivors of online harms, these developments feel both welcome and overdue. We regularly support survivors whose abuse involves:
Continuous digital surveillance.
Unwanted contact across multiple platforms.
Account compromise and impersonation.
Threats to share private images.
Harassment campaigns that spill into work, school or community spaces.
The new Ofcom guidance reflects these realities and acknowledges that victim survivors need stronger protections, clearer reporting systems and safer online environments. It also recognises that platforms must take responsibility for preventing harm, not simply reacting when it happens.
We are hopeful that this new framework will reduce the pressure on victim survivors to manage their own safety in systems that were never designed with their needs in mind.
Looking ahead
Ofcom will continue working with services and platforms to implement the recommendations and will publish a follow up report in 2027 assessing the progress made.
As the 16 Days of Activism begin, we see this as a meaningful step forward. Technology facilitated abuse is real, harmful and widespread, and survivors deserve both recognition and protection. We will continue championing their experiences, supporting them through our services and advocating for technology that is safe, accessible and equitable for all.