New Delhi, Delhi, India | 22nd August 2025: Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV) is emerging as one of the most serious threats to young women’s digital safety in India. From cyberstalking and online impersonation to unsolicited harassment, these digital abuses are silencing voices, limiting opportunities, and reinforcing gender inequality. In response, Girl Effect India has launched CTRL+SHIFT+RESPECT, a pioneering program designed to make India’s online spaces safe, empowering, and respectful for adolescent girls and young women.
The Rising Threat of Online Harassment
With more young people accessing digital platforms for learning, social interaction, and self-expression, girls disproportionately face online harassment, cyberbullying, and TFGBV. This urgent issue requires collaborative action from educational institutions, media, technology platforms, and youth and women’s organizations.
Recent research underscores the gravity of the problem: 54.8% of women in India have experienced some form of TFGBV (The Dialogue and ACTS, 2025). The most prevalent forms include cyberstalking (61.77%) and impersonation (61.02%). The impact is severe, with 65% of survivors reporting anxiety, depression, and fear of digital spaces. Many also experience career setbacks, reputational harm, and social isolation. Despite this, systemic gaps remain—only 30% of cases are reported to law enforcement, while 42% seek help from family and 26% from tech platforms, reflecting a lack of trust in formal justice mechanisms.
CTRL+SHIFT+RESPECT: Youth-Led Digital Safety Initiative
Kavita Ayyagari, Country Director of Girl Effect India, highlighted the need for proactive interventions:
“As our world becomes more digital, the spaces where harm occurs grow as well. CTRL+SHIFT+RESPECT challenges online abuse and technology-facilitated gender-based violence by shifting mindsets, sparking conversations, and building a digital culture rooted in respect.”
A youth representative from Girl Effect’s Gully Youth Lab added:
“Girls are silenced every day due to online abuse. Programs like CTRL+SHIFT+RESPECT empower us to speak up and help rewrite the rules of the internet.”
Program Features and Support Systems
The initiative offers a comprehensive approach to combat TFGBV:
- Digital literacy and rights awareness for adolescent girls.
- Engagement of boys, parents, and educators to change mindsets and behaviours.
- Strengthened survivor support systems in collaboration with government agencies, civil society, and community leaders.
Central to the initiative is CTRL+SHIFT+HELP, India’s first resource connecting survivors with verified legal, psychosocial, and community-based support services. Another innovative tool is Bol Behen, a WhatsApp chatbot offering 24/7 access to reliable information on TFGBV, helping girls navigate online spaces confidently.
Multi-Stakeholder Collaboration
The launch gathered 20 organizations, including UN Women, Laadli Foundation, RATI Foundation, Center for Social Research, Restless Development, ChildFund India, Radio Mirchi, and youth leaders from Gully Youth Lab, all committing to combat TFGBV. Representatives from CBSE emphasized the role of socio-emotional well-being and parental guidance in ensuring digital safety.
Grounding Action in Research
Girl Effect India conducted formative research in Delhi and Mumbai, revealing key insights:
- Many girls recognize online abuse but lack the language or confidence to label it as violence.
- Fear of blame or losing device access often leads to silence, resulting in isolation and widening the gender digital divide.
- Boys want to act as allies but lack supportive spaces to challenge harmful behaviours.
- Parents, though aware, often restrict digital access due to limited digital literacy, further constraining girls.
These findings reinforce the need for family and community engagement to empower girls with trust, awareness, and confidence.
Towards a Safer Digital Future
CTRL+SHIFT+RESPECT represents a movement to make TFGBV a national priority. By centering girls in solution-building and policy influence, the program envisions a digital landscape rooted in equality, safety, and respect.
With youth leadership, evidence-based strategies, and multi-sectoral collaboration, Girl Effect India is driving systemic change to create safer online spaces for the next generation of women and girls.
