In Yemen, women have long faced systemic discrimination, exacerbated by the effects of cultural restrictions and a lack of institutional protections. A newer and insidious form of violence is spreading and targeting Yemeni women: technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) which consist of online blackmail and harassment.
Between 2023 and April 2024, the Yemeni Organization for Development and Exchange of Technology (Yodet) recorded 115 cases of online blackmail, mostly targeting women. Amnesty International analized the cases of seven women subjected to this kind of gender-based violence (TfGBV) on Facebook between 2019 and 2023 in Aden, Ta’iz and Sana’a governorates.
Yemeni artists, activists, and media professionals are the most affected by online harassment which can take the form of cyber extortion, fabricated images, and defamation, non-consensual sharing of personal information. The violation of women’s right to privacy has caused mental health issues, forced social isolation, and restrictions on access to online spaces, stifling women’s freedom.
Gender-based violence (GBV) in Yemen manifests in multiple forms: domestic abuse, forced marriages, and now, digital harassment. While physical violence against women is more visible, the psychological and social damage caused by online abuse is often overlooked.
Social media platforms, while offering opportunities for expression and connection, have become tools for perpetrators to blackmail and control women who are more likely to be targeted online. Gender-based online blackmail often involves threats to share private photos or videos, sometimes obtained through hacking or coercion.
A Yemeni activist has reported that multiple girls had their phones hacked while their devices were being repaired and they found their private photos posted online.
These threats are aimed at silencing women, ruining their reputations, and reinforcing cultural stigma surrounding female modesty and honor. Consequently, women often feel obliged to comply with their harassers’ demands, whether financial or physical, to protect themselves and their families from shame and retaliation.
Additionally, women – particularly those from impoverished backgrounds – may lack access to resources to protect themselves from online abuse. The absence of digital literacy among some Yemeni women also leaves them more vulnerable to manipulation. The women interviewed by Amnesty were unaware of how to report a complaint on Facebook and to remove the content.
The weak or non-existent legal and institutional frameworks to address cybercrimes further discriminate against women who are often left without recourse to justice. The legislation contains various provisions addressing digital crimes and misconduct, such as electronic piracy, defamation, and extortion, but these legal measures are not specifically designed to tackle cyberbullying effectively and the criteria are not clearly defined. This complicates prosecution and gives judges full discretion.
For Yemeni women, the battle against online discrimination and abuse is far from over. ECDHR calls on the Yemeni authorities to implement stronger legislation against cybercrime, particularly laws addressing online blackmail and harassment and ensure enforcement mechanisms to deter perpetrators and provide justice for victims. We also call on the international community to raise awareness about online safety and pressure Yemen to support the victims and provide education to improve digital literacy among women. This would be crucial to empower and protect women. Additionally, promoting gender equality is key to addressing the root causes of violence against women in all its forms.