Research Study on Technology-Facilitated Violence Experienced by Women and Marginalised Groups in Sri Lanka

Technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) is a growing human rights crisis, disproportionately impacting women, girls, LGBTQIA+ persons, and ethnic minorities. What begins online – through harassment, hate campaigns, and digital exploitation – often spills into offline abuse, threatening safety, livelihoods, and dignity.

In 2024, UN Women, together with UNFPA, commissioned Sri Lanka’s first comprehensive study on TFGBV to uncover its scale, evolving forms, and devastating consequences. The findings reveal widespread daily abuse, fueled by misogyny, discrimination, and the misuse of digital platforms, with survivors facing stigma, economic exclusion, and mental health crises.

This research calls for urgent action – legal reform, survivor-centered services, digital literacy, and accountability from tech platforms – to transform online spaces into safe and empowering environments for all.