By Sue-Ann Wayow
BEING a beautiful woman can actually be a disadvantage for those in certain careers as they may be victims of violence especially online.
This according to Independent Senator Dr Varma Deyalsingh as he spoke on the topic of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) on Wednesday at Virtual Townhall Meeting organised by the Ministry of Gender and Child Affairs.
The theme for the discussion was Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence and Its Impact on Mental Health.
What is showing up now on the internet stemmed from women’s treatment in a patriarchal society, Dr Deyalsingh said.
“ (In) this culture, persons may attack independent strong women who give their views. They are targeted in an effort to silence them to discredit them professionally… producing fake videos to tarnish their name,” he said.
Society judges men, women differently
Dr Deyalsingh said, “The online violence faced by women and girls is emblematic of longstanding problems from gender inequality structural violence and discrimination against women anchored in society. Some of us are cultured into violence. It becomes a part of us. Sometimes we don’t recognise it.”
Women in careers such as politics, journalism, sports and academics in male-dominated fields have been victims of online negativity including fake profiles, videos and statements simply because of their sex.
“Being a female would now be at a disadvantage if you want to choose a career in these fields,” he said.
Victims abused online suffer from anxiety, depression, substance attack, panic attacks, self harm, PTSD and suicide Dr Deyalsingh said.
About perpetrators, he said, “Online they can yield power that they don’t really have in the real world.”
Based on his research, he said there were several reasons why persons may resort to online abuse or violence and power was one.
Online perpetrators may have had childhood neglect, adversity and abuse, suffer from low self-esteem, alcohol and other substance abuse or face unemployment, he said.
Abuse can be in the form of images or comments which some may not even realise could be destructive.
Persons post comments out of boredom, entertainment, power, popularity, jealousy, annoyance or revenge.
Those who post images, do so out of pleasure, revenge or destructive behaviour Dr Deyalsingh said.
He also mentioned that many of the negative comments towards women were actually from other women who may be jealous by the way someone looks or operates.
Dr Deyalsingh said, “If a well-dressed man makes some comments it may not be an issue but once you see a pretty female, she is dressed nicely, have designer clothes, looking very glamourous, some females put her down by posting negative comments.”
