Why do so many women stay silent about digital violence? It is not because they have nothing to say, it is because speaking out is often harder than staying silent. In Benin, many women face harassment, humiliating messages or blackmail in silence, and this silence is not a choice, but the result of real, deep and often invisible obstacles.
This capsule explores four of these obstacles: fear of social judgement (“you brought this on yourself”, “you shouldn’t have been active on social media”), which pushes women to shut themselves away in silence; fear of reprisals, especially new leaks of intimate content or loved ones being targeted; lack of trust in the remedies available, for lack of knowing which organisations to contact; and shame and guilt, reinforced by stereotypes that all too often blame the victims.
These obstacles are real, but they are not insurmountable. Silence doesn’t protect victims, it protects abusers. If you are a victim: you are not responsible for what you went through, talk to someone you trust, contact a specialised association, keep the evidence. If you know a victim: don’t minimise, listen, support, guide. Let’s break these taboos together.
