SCARS BEYOND THE SCREEN: UNDERSTANDING THE FORMS, CONSEQUENCES, AND RESPONSES TO TECHNOLOGY-FACILITATED GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE (TFGBV) IN RWANDA

“Scars Beyond the Screen” is a qualitative research study that aims to understand the forms, consequences, and responses to technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) in Rwanda. This landmark study, conducted by Proteknôn Rwanda and commissioned by the Rwanda Men’s Resource Centre (RWAMREC), reveals the urgent need to acknowledge, address, and act against the rapidly evolving threat of TFGBV in Rwanda.

TFGBV refers to acts of gender-based violence (GBV) that is enabled by digital technologies. These include cyberstalking, online harassment, non-consensual sharing of personal or explicit content, doxing, and other related behaviors that may begin in virtual spaces but often end in offline consequences. In Rwanda, TFGBV is increasingly pervasive, disproportionately affecting women, girls, LGBTQI+ individuals, sex workers, activists, and others whose identities or actions challenge patriarchal norms. It is deeply entwined with existing forms of GBV, reflecting and reproducing offline inequalities.

Through in-depth interviews, focus groups, and compelling case studies, Scars Beyond The Screens builds an evidence base for policy action, institutional response, and social change. Because TFGBV is a relatively under-researched phenomenon in the national context, the study had three primary objectives:

1. To assess the normative, legislative, and digital landscape as it relates to TFGBV in Rwanda.

2. To identify and categorize common forms of TFGBV and understand their psychological, social, and economic effects.

3. To develop recommendations for legal, policy, and programmatic responses to address TFGBV.

KEY FINDINGS: EVIDENCE FROM THE RWANDAN CONTEXT

The Normative & Legislative Framework: Rwanda has made substantial progress on gender equality, with legal and institutional frameworks addressing GBV. Key laws include the 2008 GBV Law and the 2018 Cyber Crimes Law. While recent policies such as the National Cyber Security Strategy and Data Protection Law enhance protections, TFGBV is not explicitly defined in the Penal Code. Legal protections for LGBTQI+ individuals remain limited, and existing laws lack specific language related to TFGBV, creating gaps in enforcement and redress for victims/survivors.

The Digital Landscape: Internet access in Rwanda has grown rapidly. However, digital literacy remains low, particularly among women and rural populations. Most online users are men, and digital safety tools are often inaccessible or not well understood. Language barriers further limit the effectiveness of content moderation, as tools fail to detect harmful content in Kinyarwanda. Awareness of online privacy and safety remains limited.

Common Forms of TFGBV: TFGBV in Rwanda takes multiple forms, including cyberbullying, online harassment, doxing, sextortion, cyberstalking, and AI-generated image manipulation.

Women and gender minorities face targeted abuse based on appearance, gender identity, or behavior that is perceived to challenge traditional gender norms. Online platforms are frequently used to spread false narratives, intimidate and incite public humiliation, using technology to coerce or control targets.

Frequently Used Platforms for TFGBV: X (formerly Twitter), WhatsApp, YouTube, and Instagram were identified as common platforms used for TFGBV. WhatsApp’s link to personal phone numbers makes users particularly vulnerable to harassment. YouTube content creators sometimes publish unverified or provocative material to increase views. Comment sections and group chats are often used for public shaming or cyberbullying. Even traditional media outlets and virtual meeting platforms have been implicated in TFGBV incidents.

The Demographics of TFGBV: Young and middle-aged women (18–45) are the primary targets of TFGBV. Public figures, feminists, university students, LGBTQI+ individuals, sex workers, and women working in digital service delivery are particularly affected. Urban populations face higher exposure due to greater online connectivity. Gender norms and public visibility increase risk. Men are more commonly viewed as perpetrators, though some have also been affected. Limited data exists on TFGBV experiences among people with disabilities.

The Consequences of TFGBV: TFGBV has significant psychological, social, and economic consequences. Victims may experience anxiety, depression, social withdrawal, or suicidal thoughts. They often face reputational damage, family conflict, job loss, and educational disruptions. In some cases, individuals have been physically assaulted or evicted from their homes. The permanence of online content exacerbates these effects, as does the inherently close-knit nature of Rwandan society, making recovery and reintegration difficult. Silencing and withdrawal from public discourse are common outcomes.

Challenges in Responding to TFGBV: Reporting of TFGBV remains low due to stigma, lack

of awareness, fear of retaliation, and perceived ineffectiveness of legal systems. Victim-blaming is prevalent, and victims/survivors often face a high burden of proof. Limited digital evidence, anonymous perpetrators, and cross-border jurisdiction issues complicate legal responses. While mechanisms such as reporting hotlines and integrated GBV services exist, accessibility and capacity for handling the particularities of TFGBV cases remain limited. LGBTQI+ individuals face additional barriers to reporting due to social discrimination and a lack of legal protections.

FROM TESTIMONY TO TRANSFORMATION: STORIES THAT DEMAND ACTION

The report’s four anonymized case studies provide first-person insights into TFGBV, humanizing the harm and calling perpetrators and duty-bearers to account:

• Marion, a digital service agent, was assaulted by a client after sharing her contact for

professional purposes. Without tangible evidence, she stayed silent. Her safety, job, and

peace of mind were stolen.

• Pierre, once a TFGBV target himself, turned content creator, embodies the complex web of victimhood and perpetration, underscoring the need for ethical content creation and accountability in digital spaces.

• Carine, a feminist activist, was repeatedly targeted online for expressing her views on

  gender equality. Old photos were unearthed to ridicule her appearance, while false rumors about her personal life spread rapidly. The harassment silenced her voice and drove her offline, highlighting how women can be punished for challenging societal norms in digital spaces.

A CALL TO ACTION: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR A SAFE AND INCLUSIVE DIGITAL

ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL

The complexities of TFGBV underscore the need for a multi-pronged and sustained approach to comprehensively address its causes and consequences. Rwanda has an opportunity to pioneer rights-based, inclusive, and tech-savvy solutions to the rising threat of TFGBV. The government, civil society, private sector, and communities all have roles to play. We call on stakeholders to:

Enshrine TFGBV into existing legal and policy frameworks:

• Strengthen and expand legal definitions of GBV to encompass different forms of TFGBV and to recognize the interplay between online and offline violence.

• Ongoing revisions to gender and family policies under the purview of the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF) should include provisions related to TFGBV.

• Advocate for legal reforms to explicitly recognize the rights of LGBTQI+ individuals to ensure equitable protection from TFGBV.

• Introduce specific provisions related to TFGBV and the use of digital forensic evidence when updating related policies and legislation, including the Penal Code.

• Develop stronger legal protections around the non-consensual sharing of private or sensitive images or information.

  
  

Capacitate public and private actors:

• Work within existing structures and service providers, such as Isange One Stop Centers,

that address GBV to support their continued decentralization while expanding their remit to

include TFGBV.

• Build the capacity and commitment of law enforcement, the judiciary, and other relevant

institutions and service providers on how and why to handle TFGBV cases with the same attention and effort as in other GBV cases, including respecting confidentiality, promoting inclusivity, and adopting other victim/survivor-centered and trauma-informed approaches to ensure the physical and psychological well-being of victims/survivors.

• Strengthen the capacity and commitment of telecommunication companies, regulatory

authorities and law enforcement organs to prevent and respond to the particularities of TFGBV, including how to use digital forensics to better identify, investigate, and prosecute perpetrators in a timely manner and across international borders.

• Continue to engage in dialogue with international tech companies and social media

platforms (such as Meta) to rapidly block or suspend flagged accounts and to provide timely

evidence for legal proceedings, as well as develop localized content moderation capacity (especially in Kinyarwanda) and improved reporting and response mechanisms for TFGBV

cases flagged by users in Rwanda.

TFGBV IN RWANDA - Scars Beyond The Screen- web optimize.pdf

Download PDF • 199.98MB