When gender-based violence moves online and targets the youngest generations

GENDER-BASED Violence (GBV) is no longer confined to homes, relationships or workplaces. It has shifted into the digital world where Gen Z and Gen Alpha live, learn and love. For many young people, their first sense of intimacy, trust and relationships now develops through digital interactions. This opens doors to connection and self-expression, but it also exposes them to new forms of violence that adults often overlook or fail to understand.

Sextortion, online grooming, non-consensual image sharing and digital coercion are shaping a new GBV landscape. These forms of harm are real, widespread and increasingly normalised in online communities. They influence how young people build identity, how they see relationships and how they negotiate boundaries. The violence is not theoretical. It travels through smartphones and gaming consoles. It takes shape in private messages, disappearing chats and anonymous accounts. It follows them into their bedrooms and stays with them long after the screen goes dark.

Research signals a growing crisis. UNICEF reports that one in five teens worldwide has experienced some form of online sexual harassment. A UK study by Ringrose (2020) found that 76% of girls aged 13 to 18 have received unsolicited explicit images. The 2022 UNICEF study in South Africa, confirmed that 52% of children shared naked pictures because they thought they were in love. This is indeed part of a pattern in which the digital space becomes a breeding ground for coercion.

Sextortion is one of the fastest-growing forms of digital GBV. It happens when a young person is convinced or manipulated into sharing intimate photos or videos and is then threatened with exposure if they do not comply with demands for more content, money or continued communication. For Gen Z and Alpha, this form of abuse is particularly devastating because the threat of public humiliation online carries enormous emotional weight.

A single leaked image can compromise their reputations, friendships and even school environments. Perpetrators understand this and exploit that fear. The anonymity of the online space makes the situation worse. Offenders can hide behind fake accounts or encrypted platforms. Some are strangers, while others are peers who use power and popularity to manipulate their victims. Research from Thorn, an international organisation focused on digital child protection, shows that 38% of sextortion cases involve someone the victim knows in real life, often another minor.

This breaks the stereotype of the lone online predator and exposes a more complex reality where GBV hides in the familiar. Gen Zs reliance on social media intensifies the problem. Likes, comments and shares shape approval in these spaces. Many young people use curated images to build identity and attract connections. This creates vulnerability. When affection, attention, and validation become currency, perpetrators can use charm to build trust, then turn that trust into control. The line between consensual digital intimacy and coercive digital intimacy becomes blurry, especially for teenagers who are still developing emotional judgement.

There is also the world of online gaming, which is often overlooked. Gen Alpha spends significant time in gaming environments where chat rooms, voice channels and private messaging systems create opportunities for harassment and exploitation. Girls in these spaces face high levels of sexualised insults, pressure for private chats and manipulation disguised as friendship. This is a form of digital GBV that rarely enters mainstream discussions.

Digital platforms influence young people’s understanding of relationships. Social media often glamorises controlling behaviour. Constant check-ins, password sharing and location tracking are framed as signs of commitment. For many teens, these behaviours become normal before they enter their first real relationship. When controlling behaviour is framed as love, it becomes much harder to identify it as abuse.

Another overlooked aspect is the permanent nature of digital harm. Traditional forms of GBV occur at specific moments, though their impact can last for years. Digital abuse has the power to resurface at any time. A screenshot, a saved image or a screen recording becomes a weapon that can be used repeatedly. The threat never entirely disappears, and the fear never fully leaves the victim. Parents, teachers and policymakers have not caught up with this reality. Conversations about GBV still centre on physical safety and face-to-face relationships. Meanwhile, young people are learning the rules of digital relationships on their own. They are negotiating trust in environments programmed for entertainment and profit, not emotional safety.

There is a need for proactive digital education. Teens must learn to recognise manipulation, grooming and coercive control online. They must understand that consent applies to digital spaces and that sharing images can create long-term risk. Boys and girls need to hear that boundaries are not old-fashioned and that privacy is not a sign of secrecy. Schools must teach these realities in honest, practical ways, not in a moralistic or judgemental way.

Gen Alpha is watching Gen Z. They observe how older teens use technology. They copy their behaviours and internalise their fears. If the current patterns continue, Gen Alpha may grow up accepting digital GBV as an unavoidable part of life. This does not need to happen. With strong guidance, open conversations and intentional digital literacy, the youngest generation can build healthier understandings of connection. Digital spaces are reshaping gender-based violence. The challenge now is to reshape our response.

Professor Aradhana Ramnund-Mansingh is the manager, School of Business, Mancosa; empowerment coach for women and former HR executive.

** The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media. 

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