Overview
- The UN Women–led Tipping Point report, released Thursday ahead of World Press Freedom Day, says online attacks against women in public life have roughly doubled since 2020.
- Researchers surveyed 641 women across 119 countries in late 2025 and found 45% now self-censor on social media and 19% limit what they say at work because of abuse.
- Generative AI is accelerating harm, with 12% reporting non-consensual sharing of intimate images and 6% targeted by deepfakes, including tools that “nudify” or simulate sexual assault.
- The study links online abuse to serious health and career fallout, with about a quarter diagnosed with anxiety or depression, 13% with PTSD, and some respondents resigning or shifting to less visible roles.
- Reporting and redress remain weak, as about 22–25% go to police and few cases lead to charges, while the World Bank counts cyber-harassment laws in only about one-third of economies despite steps like new UK rules on deepfakes and cyberflashing.