How Digital Spaces Aid Women in Finding Resources and Solidarity in the Age of Technology

Women have been blatantly rendered more vulnerable to various forms of abuse in the modern era of unlimited internet access, including cybercrime, digital threats, privacy violation, and more. However, with this rise in online violence, there has also been a rise in the number of digital tools available to women to combat it.

Women now have better access to information online and are more mindful of their surroundings. Women now have access to a virtual realm that provides them with opportunities for self-assertion thanks to feminist digital platforms, online educational resources, instructional blogs and videos, safety apps, and other tools.

Additionally, these online environments give women the security of anonymity. For people with oppressed identities, a virtual place that is anonymously accessible can provide a level of safety that most offline or physical mediums can't. Let's take a look at a few technological advancements that have benefited women and enabled them to virtually create a sisterhood network.

Workshops and digital platforms for women

In recent years, digital channels have likely provided the most access to education and awareness for women. Digital platforms are aiming to be more inclusive than ever before in light of the changing political conscience. It is now essential, not simply an option, to guarantee women's safety, inclusivity, and a voice at all intersections. During the two years of Covid lockdowns, organisations that have heavily transitioned their content from analogue to online media have probably done this the most.

Every person now has a place online to share their ideas, worries, and joys anonymously or by using their real names. This is because of feminist digital platforms. Women are now better able to express their experiences through writing or other artistic mediums and share them with other women around the world thanks to digital platforms.

Women's workshops and educational initiatives have always been important tools for keeping them educated and aware. However, accommodations and accessibility are the two issues that have always plagued these offline programmes.

Significant programmes have moved significantly away from being held in real places and toward being held online with the emergence of various internet technologies for group conversations and meetings. Reaching out to a bigger segment of the population in terms of numbers and access is hampered by physical spaces. A clear explanation for this is that offline programmes call for a target audience to travel long distances, which is frequently impossible for women, particularly housewives, working women, mothers, and women from families who do not have the privilege of sending their daughters to programmes that are held far from their homes.

In addition, many women are uneasy coming up because they worry about what might happen if they are discovered. This is particularly problematic for victims of assault who might like to remain anonymous while yet being open to attending workshops, discussions, and other events.

The situation has considerably changed as a result of online media, with women increasingly taking part in workshops all around the nation. Education and information are now easily accessible. To participate in a workshop or skill-building programme, women do not need to leave their comfort zones or endure long-distance travel.

For all women, online learning has shown to be far more flexible and convenient. This has been made feasible by several well-known communication technology platforms, including Google Meet, Zoom calls, Teams, and others.

Social media channels

Social media may be viewed by many as a venue for solely frivolous activities, harmful content, and online violence. Social media, on the other hand, is a very subjective medium that caters to individuals in various ways. Social media, despite its drawbacks, is a crucial illustration of how technology has strengthened female solidarity.

Women have discovered a shared place where voices seem familiar and safer, ranging from callout messages to survival stories. One of the main channels for fostering a sense of sisterhood among women in younger generations is social media. Women and gender minorities feel informed and supported by Whatsapp groups, Instagram posts about women's issues, Facebook groups, and Twitter threads. Several other well-known social media sites are geared toward women in particular and have provided them with a welcoming environment in which to be candid.