University campuses and social media platforms in Kenya are increasingly unsafe for female students, with online harassment escalating into physical violence in most cases.
A new study has revealed alarming trends that show female students are disproportionately targeted, raising urgent questions about safety in both digital and academic spaces.
The research, conducted by the Collaborative Centre for Gender and Development in partnership with the University of Nairobi Women’s Economic Empowerment Hub and supported by the United Nations Population Fund, found that 64.4 per cent of female students have endured online harassment compared to 35.5 per cent of male students.
The most common forms of abuse included cyberbullying, online defamation, and the non-consensual sharing of intimate images.
Globally, The European Commission’s report Tipping Point: The Chilling Escalation of Violence Against Women in the Public Sphere revealed that seven in ten women have faced online harassment tied to their work, while four in ten reported that threats later translated into physical harm.
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Artificial intelligence has intensified the threat as one in four women surveyed reported being targeted with deepfake images or manipulated content. Writers, influencers, and human rights defenders face the highest risk, with 30 per cent reporting AI-driven harassment.
“These figures confirm that digital violence is not virtual. It is real violence with real-world consequences,” said Sarah Hendricks, Director of Policy at UN Women. She warned that women who speak up for human rights or lead social movements are being deliberately silenced through abuse that now extends beyond the screen.
Prof Julie Posetti, Director of the Nerve’s Information Integrity Initiative, cautioned that the trend is worsening.
“What is truly disturbing is the evidence that women journalists’ experience of real-world harm linked to online violence has more than doubled since 2020, with 42 per cent of those surveyed in 2025 reporting this dangerous and potentially deadly trend,” she said.
In higher education, female students remain the most vulnerable. The study found that 34.4 per cent of women reported online defamation, while 24.4 per cent faced non-consensual pornography.
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Male students also reported harassment, with 43 per cent citing defamation and 39.4 per cent cyberbullying. Social media platforms are the primary battleground: X (formerly Twitter) accounted for 18.4 per cent of cases, followed by WhatsApp (17 per cent), Facebook (16.8 per cent), Telegram (14.2 per cent), Instagram (14.2 per cent), and TikTok (13.7 per cent).
Experts argue that urgent action is needed to stem the tide. Universities, government agencies, and social media companies must collaborate to create safer spaces for women to learn, work, and communicate without fear of harassment or violence.
By Masaki Enock
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