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We were unable to be a part of this due to #zoom technical glitches. We will contribute what we can in this #thread about #online #gbv in #uganda, @LindseyKukunda& #39;s experiences, our #research from #digital #trainings & #safety #measures one can take. #StopOnlineGBVUG @wougnet
A little bit about the situation of #onlinegbv in #uganda. The #internet is a mirror of how #society grooms #boys and #men to view #women as inferior, and highlights the tendencies to #abuse and #violate #rights and #safety of #women.
Think of it as a dangerous street without lighting where only #men feel safe to venture. #women are afraid to speak their minds, preventing them from being free to express themselves, and affecting their #psychological and #physical safety.
Self #censorship and outright #silence are the safest ways for women to exist on the #internet. This spills offline e.g non-consensual sharing of intimate images. #women are afraid to share intimate images with their partners because #men & the law can use this against them.
However, the #internet is becoming a tool of #justice for #women too, with an increase in exposing #abusive #men #online, unafraid of accusations of #defamation, because the #justice system & society makes #women responsible for men& #39;s #abuses towards them.
There is little difference between #street #harassment and #vaw #online. It& #39;s a & #39;man& #39;s world& #39;. This #abuse is unchecked, unmonitored by the #government or @policeug & victims/survivors of & #39;revenge porn& #39; are instead, prosecuted.
Just as @PoliceUg rushed to arrest a man caught on video beating up an old woman in Arua, they should also detain #men accused of #abuse on #socialmedia. These men are permitted to have their #jobs and #reputations intact and are quick to threaten #defamation to silence #accusers
@LindseyKukunda admits that over time, she has herself started self-censoring due to #online #attacks that cause #depression, #anxiety & a sincere wish to leave the #internet. Comments like, & #39;This one is just confrontational/likes to whine& #39; etc.
@LindseyKukunda& #39;s worst experience is when she wrote about a #racist #bar that denied her entry. She heard herself on radio described as having an & #39;inferiority complex& #39; & received mocking messages all the way from Rwanda. Good news. The bar now has a & #39;No racism allowed& #39; sign.
In our #digital #safety #trainings, #girls in #university say they are afraid to even post pictures online because their #male counterparts bully them e.g "Facebook isn& #39;t for you to show off", "Make sure you& #39;re beautiful first", "You& #39;re not all that" "Attention seeker" etc.
#university girls tell us about what they call & #39;WhatsApp Revenge& #39;. If you refuse a boy& #39;s advances, he spreads stories about you on WhatsApp, calls you a & #39;slut& #39;, brags he& #39;s slept with you, puts your face on a naked woman& #39;s bodies & shares it etc.
We& #39;d like to share a few practical tips to protect yourself online. Tip 1: To prevent non-consensual sharing of intimate images, or unauthorized entry to your account, take passwords seriously. Don& #39;t include personal information in your password.
Use a different #password for every #account. DON& #39;T BE LAZY. The cost of being hacked into can be avoided with a different password for each account. With one password, if someone gets that, they get everything.
Change your passwords every three months. To keep track, we recommend a #password #manager that saves all your details. @LastPass is a good password #vault, easy for beginners. When you change your password, update the change in your @LastPass vault too.
Tip 2: Ditch your & #39;friends& #39;. The & #39;numbers& #39; you call @Facebook & #39;friends& #39; are the people making you unsafe. Make a choice. Delete everyone you don& #39;t know because people you know will find it harder to abuse you.
Tip 3: This is difficult for #women. Practice being #unapologetic for your #opinions. You& #39;re entitled to them, just like everyone else. No one disrespects you without your consent. Don& #39;t justify yourself. You can give people your back to walk on, they& #39;ll still say it& #39;s too soft.
Tip 4: Follow women of influence, women you admire etc. There is strength in numbers and there is a need for women to support and uplift each other. This can be done by again, choosing who your & #39;friends& #39; are.
Ladies and gentlemen, this is all we have time for right now. We hope this thread is #useful for those who need it. Thanks @wougnet for this initiative and all contributors. We hope to meet you another time @triciatwasiima @sandraaceng @DrBridgetHarris @takebackthetech @APC_News
