By Promise Dube
Zimbabwe is witnessing a sharp rise in technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), with social media platforms serving both as tools of empowerment and avenues for abuse, digital rights advocates have warned.
They say the surge highlights the urgent need for improved digital literacy, stronger reporting mechanisms, and more effective enforcement of existing laws.
Speaking on This Morning on Asakhe, digital rights advocate Nompilo Simanje described TFGBV as the use of digital tools, including social media,to spread harmful gendered and patriarchal stereotypes.
“Common forms in Zimbabwe include cyberbullying, online harassment, hate campaigns, coordinated disinformation, and doxing, the publication of personal information without consent,” said Simanje.
“This can cause serious emotional and psychological harm, and in some cases, escalate to physical violence.”
Simanje noted that while influencer culture has opened new spaces for public engagement, it has also become a hotspot for digital abuse.
“Influencers, due to their public visibility and large followings, often find themselves both victims and perpetrators,” she said.
She cited a recent case in which a social media personality launched a cyberbullying campaign against a women’s rights activist, sharing false personal details in retaliation for critical comments.
Among those most affected by TFGBV, Simanje said, are women in politics such as Fadzai Mahere and Linda Masarira, female human rights defenders, social media influencers, and everyday internet users.
She also drew attention to the heightened vulnerability of the LGBTQ+ community, where online abuse is worsened by the legal criminalisation of homosexuality, as well as digitally illiterate women who lack the knowledge or tools to protect themselves online.
“TFGBV silences victims, limits their online participation, and causes long-lasting psychological damage,” she said.
“In some cases, it leads to real-world harm, including stalking and physical attacks. Many survivors require psychosocial support.”
Patience Zirima from Gender and Media Connect said many victims of online abuse do not report incidents to platforms or authorities, citing complicated reporting systems, lack of follow-up, and general distrust.
“When we speak to the police, they acknowledge receiving reports from women, but they say tracking online violations is difficult. They lack the tools and technology to trace perpetrators,” said Zirima.
She added that a recent study showed 40% of perpetrators remain anonymous, making legal recourse nearly impossible unless the victim knows the abuser personally.
On the issue of non-consensual image sharing, Zirima said while such acts are illegal, anonymity continues to hamper investigations and prosecutions.
Simanje raised concern over the rise of unregulated “media pages” run by individuals with no formal journalism training, often violating privacy and ethical standards.
She pointed to Zimbabwe’s Cyber and Data Protection Act as a key legal instrument.
“The Act criminalises threats, cyberbullying, the transmission of false data, and the disclosure of personal information without consent,” she explained.
“It also provides avenues for victims to report cases to POTRAZ, the regulatory authority, and to the police for criminal investigation.”
Both Simanje and Zirima called for greater investment in digital literacy and capacity building, particularly for vulnerable groups such as schoolchildren, parliamentarians, and women journalists.
They urged Zimbabweans to take collective responsibility in fostering a safer, more respectful digital environment.