AI Is Supercharging Violence Against Women And the World Isn’t Ready, Warns UN Women
As artificial intelligence reshapes the digital world, child protection advocates are sounding the alarm: the same tools powering innovation are now being weaponized against girls, exposing them to new forms of exploitation, harassment, and long-term harm.
In a world where one in three women experience physical or sexual violence, girls are growing up in digital spaces that increasingly mirror those same dangers. Technology-facilitated abuse is rising, and artificial intelligence is accelerating it in ways safeguarding systems are not prepared for.
Studies show that between 16 and 58 percent of women globally have experienced digital violence. For girls, the risks are often magnified. AI tools can create non-consensual deepfake images, automate sexual harassment, and enable blackmail schemes that target minors. The speed, anonymity, and reach of these technologies allow abuse to spread before parents, schools, or authorities even know it is happening.
Experts warn that what happens online does not stay online. AI-enabled harassment can escalate into real-world stalking, coercion, and psychological trauma. Victims often face shame, fear, and isolation, while legal systems struggle to catch up with the rapid evolution of technology.
Laura Bates, author of The New Age of Sexism, has emphasized that the divide between online and offline harm is an illusion. When digital abuse targets girls, it directly impacts their safety, education, mental health, and future opportunities.
Child safeguarding experts argue that stronger protections are urgently needed. This includes gender-responsive AI design, clear accountability for tech platforms, and education that equips young people to navigate digital risks safely.
As AI continues to evolve, the core principle must remain clear: every child has the right to protection, dignity, and safety, online and offline.
