Empowering Women in the Digital Age: 18 Days to End Violence Against Women
Empowering Women in the Digital Age: 18 Days to End Violence Against Women
November 25 – December 12, 2025 | Philippines
Every click, post, and message shapes the way we connect in today’s digital world. But for many women and girls, the internet can also be a space of fear, harassment, and abuse. This year’s 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) shines a spotlight on this urgent issue, calling on everyone to stand together for digital safety and accountability.
With the theme “Digital Security and Technology-Facilitated Gender-Based Violence (TFGBV)”, the 2025 campaign takes on a growing form of gender-based violence that happens online, where technology is misused to harm, silence, and exploit.
From November 25 to December 12, advocates across the country are uniting to raise awareness, share safety tools, and remind everyone that technology should empower, not harm.
Why Focus on Digital Violence?
November 25 marks the International Day to End Violence Against Women (IDEVAW) and the beginning of the 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women.
The internet has become an essential space for learning, work, and advocacy. But it can also be a venue for abuse and control. Many women face forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, such as:
- Harassment and stalking through messaging apps and social media
- Doxxing, or the public release of private information
- Image-based abuse, where intimate photos are shared without consent
- Online threats that extend into real-world harm
These online attacks do more than just harm reputations, they affect mental health, safety, and livelihoods.
IDEVAW and the 18-Day Campaign is a crucial reminder that violence in all its forms—offline and online—remains one of the most pervasive barriers to gender equality. In today’s digital world, technology has become both a powerful tool for empowerment and a growing space where violence is replicated and amplified. From online harassment and cyberstalking to the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and other forms of technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), the digital sphere mirrors the inequalities and power dynamics that women face in everyday life.
That is why this year’s campaign focuses on digital resilience helping women and girls strengthen their online security, learn their rights, and demand accountability from digital platforms and policymakers. Because online safety is a human right.
What’s Happening During the 18 Days
Each day of the campaign highlights a specific theme from practical digital safety tips to survivor support and legal rights. Participants can follow along on social media using the hashtags #VAWFreePH, #StopTFGBV, and #DigitalSecurityPH.
Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store:
- Day 1 – Launch: Why TFGBV Matters
The campaign kicks off with a reminder that technology should uplift, not endanger. - Day 3 – Online Privacy Basics
Learn how to review your privacy settings and protect personal data. - Day 6 – Recognizing Online Harassment
Know how to document and report incidents. - Day 7 – Image-Based Abuse
Sharing intimate photos without consent is a crime. Learn about your rights under the Anti-Photo and Video Voyeurism Act and the Safe Spaces Act. - Day 10 – Responding to Doxxing
If your personal information is leaked online, don’t panic. Document everything and reach out for help. - Day 11 – Digital Self-Care
Online safety includes mental health. Take breaks, mute harmful content, and reach out when you need support. - Day 15 – Legal Protections in the Philippines
Know your rights under the VAWC Act (RA 9262), Safe Spaces Act (RA 11313), and Cybercrime Prevention Act (RA 10175). - Day 18 – Closing & Call to Action
As the campaign concludes, it calls on everyone to continue the fight for a VAW-free Philippines – online and offline.
Full list of support hotlines: pcw.gov.ph/VAWhotlines
Digital Safety Is a Shared Responsibility
Technology can be a force for good connecting communities, sparking movements, and amplifying women’s voices. But safety must come first.
“Ending violence against women requires both individual and collective action,” says Christina Lopez, Program Officer. “Together, we can build a digital world where everyone feels safe, heard, and respected.”
The 18-Day Campaign reminds us that online safety is everyone’s business. Whether you’re learning to secure your accounts, supporting a survivor, or demanding stronger platform policies your actions make a difference.
Join the Movement
Follow the campaign and share your reflections using #VAWFreePH #StopTFGBV #DigitalSecurityPH #EndVAW
Learn more and access resources:
Together, let’s end violence against women – online and offline.
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