Digital violence against women and children
The state of the literature
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24239382 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Thendo Phophi Mbambala (Department of Information Systems, CSET School of Computing, University of South Africa (UNISA)), Mampilo Phahlane (0000-0002-0313-8094, Department of Information Systems, CSET School of Computing, University of South Africa (UNISA)) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 11 |
| Publication date | 2026-10-21 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Frontiers in Sociology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2297-7775 • E-ISSN: 2297-7775 |
| Publisher | Frontiers Media SA (PUBLISHER • CH) |
| DOI | 10.3389/fsoc.2026.1977287 |
| OpenAlex | W7223093807 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 48 |
Purpose This state-of-the-literature review synthesizes interdisciplinary scholarship on digital violence affecting women and children, with the aim of clarifying dominant harm typologies, socio-technical drivers, evidence practices, and governance responses. The review responds to increasing global concern regarding technology-facilitated violence and persistent justice gaps in prevention, reporting, and redress. Design/methodology/approach The review adopts a state-of-the-literature design combining transparent literature identification and screening with reflexive thematic synthesis. Search was conducted across Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, EBSCOHost, ProQuest, Google Scholar, and selected policy sources, covering publications from January 2000 to March 2026. A PRISMA-style flow diagram is used to ensure transparency. The analysis does not claim protocol-driven systematic review status. Findings The literature conceptualizes digital violence as persistent, boundary-eroding, and structurally enabled through platform affordances, algorithmic amplification, and data-driven political economies. Evidence is constrained by fragmented definitions, inconsistent measurement practices, and geographic concentration in the Global North. These limitations contribute to recurring justice gaps across legal systems, platform governance, and support mechanisms. Originality/value The article consolidates a fragmented body of scholarship into an integrated analytical framework encompassing domain, structural, epistemological, and socio-political dimensions. It identifies literature-grounded priorities for regulation, platform accountability, prevention, survivor-centered support, and future research.
Gender, Feminism, and Media · Intimate Partner and Family Violence · Stalking, Cyberstalking, and Harassment
If…Then
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Image-Based Sexual Abuse
Toxic Geek Masculinity in Media
Lawless
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“Under Western Eyes” Revisited
Digital intrusions
Technology-Facilitated Domestic and Sexual Violence
Bullying in the digital age
Digital violence in schools
Revenge Porn and Mental Health
Technology-Facilitated Abuse Victimization
Technology facilitated coercive control
Special issue on online misogyny
Drinking male tears
The Abuse of Technology in Domestic Violence and Stalking
Embodied Harms
Back to the kitchen, cunt’
Beyond ‘Revenge Porn’
Technology-facilitated Domestic and Family Violence
Using thematic analysis in psychology
Feminist theories of technology
Gendertrolling
Violence and society
An Assessment of the Current State of Cybercrime Scholarship
| Highly cited | No |
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