She is the host of the ‘digital dada podcast,’ a podcast focused on discussions around online violence against women and digital security.
The podcast challenges the misconception that online violence is not “real violence” by sharing conversations with women journalists and public leaders who have experienced such violence.
Speaking to KNA Maundu recalls her experience and how she was forced to pull down one of her podcast episodes during Covid -19 period after trolling on the internet became relentless.
“The trolling was relentless,” she recalls, her voice heavy. “It felt like an unending nightmare.”
Maundu says all her hard work vanished in a click of a button after taking down the episode in a frantic effort to protect her interviewees and herself from further online abuse.
She says trolling is when someone posts or comments online to ‘bait’ people, which means deliberately provoking an argument or emotional reaction.
“This may include online hate—personal attacks that target someone because of their race, culture, religion, gender, sexual orientation or disability,” she says.
TFGBV can be defined as violence committed by the use of information and communication technologies, such as phones, the internet, social media platforms, and email.
Common forms of TF-GBV attacks include trolling, doxing, body shaming, abusive comments, revenge porn, hacking and impersonation, among others.
Maundu says she temporarily stopped posting content online out of fear that the incident could repeat itself.
“When women have access to the internet, they often face online violence and harassment that limits their ability to fully participate in the digital world,” she said.
She says she has since recovered from the incident and through resilience she is now a digital security trainer and an advocate for women’s rights on the growing crisis of TF-GBV against women human rights defenders.
“It’s time to prioritize digital rights and create a safer, more inclusive online world where female journalists and public figures share insights and experiences navigating the online world,” she says.
She now uses her podcast platform and skills to provide women with training they need to protect themselves online arguing every woman deserves to feel safe, empowered, and protected in digital spaces.
“Without digital security literacy, the battle against online violence is lost,” she says, adding, “through these discussions, we foster a culture of digital security and advocate for a safer and more feminist internet,” Maundu said.
She says that to ensure that women feel safe and protected online, more needs to be done to enforce laws like Kenya’s Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act which criminalizes any form of online harassment and provides legal remedies for victims.
She urges people to stand united against online gender-based violence by accelerating action against TFGBV and ensuring digital rights and equality for all.
She stressed that enhancing digital safety is essential and that security measures such as password managers and two-factor authentication could empower women to protect their online identities effectively.
“Your social media accounts are your personal spaces and your world. Keep them safe and ensure you are digitally secure, always,” she said.
She says when one becomes a victim of abuse, they should seek support and use available reporting mechanisms to seek help, like going to the police or visiting organizations that champion women’s rights and safety.
A report by Association of Media Women in Kenya (AMWIK) has revealed that 60 percent of respondents had faced one form or another of online harassment and abuse in the online space.
According to the report, the most prevalent forms of technology-facilitated GBV are being sent intimate images that one did not ask for (29.17 percent), hate speech (25 percent), harassing private messages (22.22 percent), and cyberbullying and cyberstalking (20.8 percent each).
The report highlights and exposes the growing threat of TF-GBV against women in public life, including human rights defenders, community leaders, and professionals in media and civil society.
AMWIK Executive Director, Queenter Mbori, said that 60 per cent is a huge number and as an association, they are trying to ensure that they are able to minimize the levels of abuse on the digital platforms
“This report emphasizes the urgency of addressing online harassment and creating safer digital spaces for women,” said Mbori.
Mbori said this emerging form of violence undermines women’s participation in public discourses, silencing them and stripping them of their right to freely express themselves online.
Mbori underscored the urgent need for enhanced safety measures in digital spaces to protect women in public roles, including journalists, women politicians, and women human rights defenders from TFGBV.
“It is time to build a digitally resilient community of African women who champion a feminist internet that is safe, inclusive, and empowering for a digitally resilient future,” she said.
While calling for a collective effort to ensure that online spaces are safe, secure and equitable for all, Chief Justice Martha Koome emphasized the commitment of the Judiciary to enhance access to justice for victims of gender-based violence.
She said through the gender-justice courts, they are keen to promote access to justice for victims of all forms of gender-based violence in a manner that prioritizes their dignity, safety, privacy, and well-being.
“So far, we have established 13 Gender-Justice Courts in 11 of the 47 counties to increase access to justice for victims of TFGBV and any other form of GBV,” Koome said at a conference last year on TFGBV.
By Anita Omwenga
