WhatsApp and Facebook are the most commonly used harassment platforms
The Digital Rights Foundation (DRF) reports that WhatsApp and Facebook were the top apps used to harass women in Pakistan.
DRF, a research-based Pakistani NGO, has released its five-year report on the cyberbullying hotline. 2022 marks a five-year milestone for the DRF hotline to combat online violence and harassment.
The cyberbullying hotline has received more than 11,681 cases over the past five years. In 2021, approximately 4,441 cases were received with an average of 370 cases per month. March and September saw an increase in reports while the remaining months were mostly flat.
Of the total calls received, 68% were from women and 30% from men, while the remaining 2% were from gender minorities. The most common platform used for harassment was WhatsApp, followed by Facebook.
The report also shows that 893 complaints in 2021 related to extortion and 727 helpline cases related to the use of non-consensual imagery.
DRF Executive Director Nightat Dad said:
The rate at which cases of cyberbullying are increasing is alarming and should serve as a wake-up call for us to take the appropriate steps to make the internet a safe and equal space for all. Unless all key actors take structural change action, we will continue to replicate the same discriminatory behaviors towards vulnerable groups that we see and experience offline.
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The Cyberbullying Hotline was originally established in December 2016 as the region’s first dedicated hotline for cyberbullying and violence. The toll-free number (0800-39393) is available Monday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. m. to 5 p.m. m. and also includes email and social media support.