Social media, blogs and online newspapers have become amplifiers of violence against vulnerable groups such as women, human rights defenders, members of the LGTBIQ community and journalists. Machitroll Alert, is a tool that invites to make visible through humor those comments, images or violent contents that circulate on the web, to draw attention to them and create awareness.
People and groups have joined together in order to offer narratives that enhance the rights to a life without violence. Machitroll Alert is one of those initiatives born from the Karisma Foundation, with the support of the Web Foundation, looking for women to express their ideas freely as a fundamental action to end violence and promote respect for their rights on the web.
Gender violence exists both in digital spaces and outside them. The reasons why women are subject to online aggressions are varied and respond to socio-economic and historical factors that are also related to the gaps of full access and differentiated appropriation of technologies. The lack of information on security and privacy problems deepens the seriousness of the phenomenon.
When a woman is active in the network (journalists, bloggers, communicators, activists, human rights defenders) and receives attacks, they are characterized by using sexist stereotypes, sexual assaults, disqualification and threats to family and personal relationships, and negative comments about physical appearance. Consequently, many of them opt for self-censorship or withdraw from the networks, thus trying to reduce the psychic-emotional effects of constantly receiving these aggressions.
It is necessary that women know how to deal with these violence online in an assertive manner, that the competent authorities have the necessary and required training to deal with complaints of gender-based violence online, and that the general population is sensitized about it by learning to respect the diversity of ideas and promoting open and plural debate.
Internet must be thought of as a tool for political and citizen participation, for democratization and inclusion. Machitroll Alert is considered as a campaign with which it is sought that women can navigate safely and their voice is respected. Enter the campaign website, help identify and stop the growth of this species known as “machitroll”, which lives on the web.
The internet we imagine is one in which free thinking, expression and identity can be developed. Where sexual and reproductive rights can be explored without fear of censorship, that stimulates the development of productive initiatives, that is a safe space to participate politically. Where women are politically, culturally and economically active citizens.
Internet without violence, let’s make it ours!
Contact us: communications@karisma.org.co
Twitter: #AlertaMachitroll @Karisma | Facebook |
Campaign website: https://actua.karisma.org.co/alertamachitroll |
Karisma Foundation website: https://karisma.org.co