Protecting Yourself From Digital Threats

Once you’re operating in this environment, it’s essential to document what happens and not let incidents go unrecorded. This helps build a body of evidence in case the violence continues, whether from the same source or multiple ones.

Documentation means observing what happened and creating a record by collecting all relevant information about the incident or attack, allowing you to fully understand what occurred, even long after the fact.

Why is documentation so important?

Keeping thorough records is critical for protecting both the organization and the individuals affected. Documentation helps identify aggressors and attack patterns, supports prevention efforts, and allows incidents to be stored alongside their context, so informed decisions can be made.

We recommend documenting and recording:

• Attacks
• Incidents: anything unusual happening to your accounts or devices, as well as in the offline or physical sphere.

Create an incident log

Develop a simple incident log or tracking document. You can find an example here (if you want to use the Excel template, make a copy and save it to your drive so you can adapt it to your needs).

Organise the storage of supporting evidence, such as:

• Screenshots of unauthorised logins showing the date, device, and IP address.
• Screenshots of harmful messages where the profile image and date are visible.
• Screenshots of the social media profiles used to harass someone, including the profile photo.
• Think carefully about the safest way to keep this document updated and securely shared among team members. It’s also strongly recommended to create backups.

In many cases, the attacks don’t happen to us directly, but to colleagues, allies, or other women close to us. It’s essential to be prepared and know how to respond assertively and with care. We recommend the following support practices:

• If you’re close to the person being attacked, offer immediate assistance. Keep in mind that they may feel overwhelmed and unsure about what kind of help they need. Stay calm, practise active listening, and be patient. Avoid adding pressure or stress.
• In cases of doxxing (when sensitive, detailed, and extensive personal information is maliciously published online) you can offer a safe place to stay (such as your home) if the person doesn’t feel secure.
• You can also offer to moderate their Twitter account or blog comments to give them a break from managing the harassment.
• Another way to help is by researching national and local laws and platform policies related to online and offline harassment, and turning that knowledge into concrete actions. You can visit the acoso.online project, which provides legal tools and information related to digital violence, including the non-consensual sharing of intimate images and videos.
• Make Yourself Heard. If you don’t know the person being attacked well, you can still raise your voice on social media, call out what’s happening, and speak publicly about this kind of abusive behaviour.
• Organise Collectively. If you want to have a greater impact, consider organising a collective response, which is far more effective than individual actions alone. Bring together friends and trusted contacts to coordinate a Twitter storm, for example. This shows the person under attack that they are not alone, and that such attacks are unacceptable.
• Write a Statement of Solidarity. If you’re part of a social organisation or network, you can draft a public statement clearly rejecting gender-based violence and online harassment. It’s good practice to have people with expertise in social justice, gender, and feminism review the statement.
• If the person under attack is part of your organisation, make sure they review the statement before it’s published. You can also prepare a response protocol in advance, outlining clear steps to follow if someone is attacked online. This helps prevent further harm and enables a more effective, coordinated response when incidents occur.
• Engage with the Media. Depending on the nature and context of the situation, you may consider speaking to the media and highlighting the sexist nature of online attacks. Always consult with the person being targeted before engaging with journalists.
• If you don’t know them personally, you can try reaching out through your “web of trust,” using shared connections and trusted online networks. Be mindful of the additional stress and harm that media exposure can cause if someone is made visible in mainstream outlets without their consent.