Drawing on findings from APC’s MDG3: Take Back the Tech! project with women’s rights organisations in twelve countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America, this paper explores the links between the internet, cell phones and violence against women and illustrates that technology-related violence impacts women as seriously as other forms of violence.

An unprecedented achievement for the study and prevention of further violence against women in Cambodia was announced last month with the opening of a Women and Gender Studies Centre in the capital city Phnom Penh.

Boyfriends and girlfriends rarely make commitments and plans to delete private photographs of each other when they snap them. What happens when the relationship breaks down and one of them decides to post them online? What about the people who receive and forward the images and videos? In each act of viewing and forwarding, they are continuing and replicating the violence. APC is launching a new campaign to stop the spread of violence by committing not to forward abusive messages. We invite you to take a stand.

Women survivors of domestic violence in Pakistan have long endured twofold abuse – not only at home but by a government that does not protect them. In 2009 there was hope the government would step up to protect women from domestic violence – the National Assembly passed the Domestic Violence (Prevention and Protection) Bill, but the bill expired after the Senate failed to pass it. However, a Pakistani women’s rights organisation is working to reintroduce the bill in parliament – through the use of information and communication technology, and after training from APC.

From radio dramas by a student theatre collective, to an sms helpline for migrant Filipinas working abroad, to web-based technology to help victims of violence in ex US military bases, five organisations that work with women and ICTs are being awarded with small grants to implement these projects through the APC Women’s Networking Support Programme’s (WNSP) Take Back the Tech! to end violence against women project, which targets the third Millennium development goal on equality for women.

APC’s ‘What can you do to end violence against women? Take Back The Tech!’ video is the featured video on the United Nations’ Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence Against Women campaign this week.

“Her story might have daunted me but her strength and courage overwhelmed and even empowered me … I was impressed by how she had taken the bold step of coming forward, taking her life in control and deciding what was best for her,” said Sana Masood in a digital story she created about an acid attack survivor at an APC Feminist Tech Exchange workshop in Pakistan, and which recently won an award in the International Red Cross’ “Young Reporter” competition.

Take Back the Tech!As part of APC’s MDG3: Take Back the Tech! to end violence against women campaign, international news agency IPS has partnered with APC to report on the intersection of ICTs and violence against women around the world. In these three articles, IPS reports on how women are targeted for cyber crimes in Pakistan, are using technology to build self-esteem in Argentina, and are experiencing greater gender-based violence due to an increase in ICT use in Uganda.