The campaign, titled ‘Actually, It’s not true! – Unmasking online gender-based violence myths’ focuses on dispelling false beliefs that perpetuate harmful stereotypes in the digital space. Online gender-based violence, including cyberbullying, harassment, doxxing, and revenge porn, thrives due to internet anonymity and rapid information dissemination. The choice of this topic and title is rooted in the belief that raising awareness is a crucial first step toward change.
The goal is to challenge common myths that downplay online gender-based violence, emphasising its emotional, psychological, and physical toll on victims. By shedding light on misconceptions, the campaign aims to prompt conversations, encourage critical self-reflection, and inspire collective action.
For this campaign we interviewed expert and academic Gergana Tvetkova, curator of the project SteREotyping, DiSInformation, and PoliticiSaTion: links between attacks against the Istanbul Convention and increased online gender-based violence (RESIST) at Ca’ Foscari University. The project examines how false and harmful narratives driven by disinformation can have a negative influence on the protection and promotion of human rights and efforts to counter gender-based violence against women. Online violence against women and disinformation are two phenomena that pose serious risks to societies in the European Union. The research therefore aims to identify and analyse in depth specific harmful and false narratives, as well as formulate positive narratives and policy recommendations to neutralise them.
Gergana has more than ten years of experience in research and project management. Her areas of interest include human rights, women’s rights, digital rights, foreign policy, global governance, transitional justice.