One-third of Kiwi women have experienced abuse online, new research has found.
Of these women, 75 percent experienced difficulty sleeping, 50 percent feared for their physical safety and 32 percent feared for the safety of their families due to the abuse.
The statistics are from an international poll commissioned by Amnesty International.
Amnesty International New Zealand campaign director Meg de Ronde said the research showed online abuse did not end when the victim steps away from the screen.
"Imagine getting death threats or rape threats when you open an app, or living in fear of sexual and private photos being shared online, without your consent," she said.
Amnesty International has called on social media companies to start taking the problem more seriously.
"One abusive tweet can become a barrage of targeted hate in a matter of minutes," Ms de Ronde said.
"Social media companies have a responsibility to respect human rights, including the right to freedom of expression. They need to ensure that women using their platforms are able to do so freely and without fear."
Of the one-third of Kiwi women who said they have experienced online abuse:
- 75 percent had trouble sleeping well
- 49 percent felt their personal safety was at risk
- 32 percent felt the personal safety of their families was at risk
- 72 percent were less able to focus on everyday tasks
- 53 percent said the perpetrators were complete strangers
- 70 percent had lower self-esteem or loss of self-confidence
- 49 percent said they used social media less or stopped altogether
Newshub.
