Speaking Out, Standing Up: Cambodian youth challenge digital violence

For Seat Thida, a youth representative and international relations student from Ratanakiri, Cambodia, online violence is not an abstract issue. It is personal, urgent and ever-present: “The digital world offers young people borderless opportunities, but it also brings serious risks. For young people who experience online violence, the harm doesn’t stay online. It impacts their daily lives.”

On 6 December in Phnom Penh, as part of Cambodia’s 16 Days of Activism to End Gender-Based Violence campaign and under the global theme UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls, Seat joined 60 young people from youth networks across the country at the Our Safety: Youth Dialogue on Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence. The event, co-organized by the United Nations in Cambodia and the Ministry of Women’s Affairs, with support from the Australian Government, created space for youth to share experiences, reflect on the rise of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TF GBV) and co-create solutions.

“Young people are not only affected. They are the ones with the lived experience,” said Bodalin Heng, co-founder of Breakthrough Movement. “To create meaningful solutions, their insights must lead the way.”

From cyberstalking and image-based abuse to sextortion and gendered disinformation, TF GBV is on the rise. These digital harms silence, shame and exclude, especially young women and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer and other (LGBTIQ+) individuals who already face systemic discrimination. The dialogue addressed these realities through a youth-led and survivor-informed process.

Speaking at the event, Sreang Wychheng, Programme Analyst on Youth and Comprehensive Sexuality Education at the United Nations Population Fund Cambodia, presented research and context to help frame the discussions.

“Our research has identified the many ways this violence shows up in young people’s lives,” she said. “I helped facilitate a session to ensure youth understand what technology-facilitated gender-based violence is and are equipped to discuss the challenges they face.”

To ensure safe and inclusive participation, discussions were facilitated by peer groups from civil society organizations LoveIsDiversity, Breakthrough Movement, and Gender and Development for Cambodia. Separate sessions were held for young women, LGBTIQ+ youth and young men to unpack experiences, identify barriers and co-create solutions.

“Youth perspectives are essential for change,” said Seak Por, an international relations and international business graduate and participant in the forum. “This dialogue gave us space to name the problem and to imagine a safer digital future.”

Participants developed recommendations spanning prevention, protection and accountability. These included awareness campaigns, survivor-centred reporting mechanisms and policies that recognize the unique experiences of youth.

Selected representatives presented their proposals at a national policy and private sector dialogue on 10 December, amplifying youth voices to influence real decision-making.

There, Seat emphasized the urgency of action, including stronger institutional responses. “We need one-stop, confidential services that are safe and survivor-centred. When abuse is normalized, it harms victims every single day.”

As Cambodia advances its efforts to combat TF GBV, the dialogue demonstrated the transformative power of youth leadership. By centring the voices of those most affected, the initiative showed that inclusive digital spaces can only be built with, and not just for, young people.

“Youth leadership is not symbolic. It is essential,” said Bodalin. “This dialogue is a model for what real inclusion looks like.”

For youth representative Neang Ratanak, the experience was transformative. “I gained knowledge, confidence and a platform to speak for my community.”