COVID-19 and Online Violence in India: Digital Intelligence Report
2021
As originally published by Quilt.AI on April 15, 2021
Online violence is the use of technology to cause, facilitate, or threaten violence against individuals that may result in physical, sexual, psychological, or economic harm and suffering and includes the exploitation of the individuals’ circumstances, characteristics, or vulnerabilities.
In India, online violence has seen a steady increase with women reporting more frequent online violence than men. Evidence also shows that online violence disproportionately impacts women, girls, and LGBTI individuals.
ICRW and Quilt.AI spent several months researching online violence in India. Our research dives into online violence and behaviors before and during the pandemic in India.
The research focused on four rural and four urban areas. Rural areas included Assagao, Kangra, Palakkad, and Gaya while urban areas included Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata. The analysis identified trends from discourse on social media platforms and search engines. We used findings from the research to inform recommendations for tech companies, policymakers, and NGOs to prepare for future times of crisis.
Read more about our work and findings by clicking below for the executive summary. The full report can be found here.
Additionally, read our interview with organization leadership and team leads here and our blog from December 2020 on Technology-facilitated Gender-based Violence in the Time of COVID-19 here.