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Women, Technology And Gender Abuse In South Africa

Decent Essays
Open Document

Today’s world is a technological one where people spend most of their time in front of a screen. When we think of technology we don’t immediately think Africa. We think of the developed world where technology serves to enhance, entertain, protect as well as threaten people in those areas. Africa as a continent is left for everything else such as dusty roads, green landscapes and women with bright colored clothing carrying children on their backs. Technology and the internet is not immediately associated with Africa and it should be. Africa consists of 57 countries with high access to the worldwide internet. African countries have women who work within the media professions as well as a large young girls who spend most of their time online posting pictures for friends to see and like. Unfortunately, with rising users of the free internet comes rising problems of online abuse within different African countries. What might be considered a “western problem” is making its way into the African arena affecting many of its women. Countries like South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania have had women who have faced the darker side of the internet through cyber gender harassment. With the lack of awareness of cyber gender harassment in African countries more women result to drastic measures such as suicide to find relief. While the world is focused on other problems involving Africans countries, the silent threat of cyberbullying in becoming more apparent with no means of recognising its

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